Constipation is prevalent in various groups such as infants, old people, pregnant women and office workers who are sitting for a long time. And the symptoms of them are similar, but the causes differ from age, habit and other factors. Therefore, the treatment principles are determined by their actual situation.  

What is constipation?    

Constipation can be seen as a symptom of other diseases or a unique illness such as chronic constipation.  As the intestines move slowly to remove the metabolites, the toxins accumulate and damage your body, causing the symptoms of constipation to turn into the disease. The effect of constipation on those affected is based on their symptoms. They always experience hard and dry stools, painful and fewer than three bowel movements per week. 

To date, it’s difficult to give a precise definition of constipation, because of the huge differences in bowel-movement caused by the types of food, lifestyle, environmental factor and mental status. For example, some people defecate once every few days without feeling uncomfortable, which is part of a normal bowel movement. 

Constipation can occur in a mild or a  severe degree, in short, or long duration.  Patients with severe and persistent constipation should go to the hospital and undergo tests to find out the exact cause. The immediate and efficient diagnosis helps to prevent or treat primary affections. However, do not abuse the laxative even you suffer from severe pain. 

Main symptoms of constipation:   

•   Fewer bowel movement
•   Dry faeces  
•   Difficulty  with bowel movements  
•   Lower abdominal  bloating and pain  
•   Poor appetite  
 •   Nausea  
•   Blood in the hard stool

Complications: 

 •   Colon or anal disease 

 •   An extra-intestine disease like stroke  

 •   Hepatic encephalopathy, breast disease, and Alzheimer’s disease  

 •   CVD (cardiovascular diseases) like angina and myocardial infarction. In some clinical cases, the risk of CVD s has been increasing in recent years if constipated patient increases abdominal-pressure and overexertion during the evacuation.  

Classified by age, this passage will mainly present constipation during pregnancy and provide recommendations for home remedies and habits for pregnant women. 

Cause of constipation during pregnancy   

As the high-risk group of constipation, once pregnant women suffer from constipation, it may damage both them and the baby. Specialists explain that the digestive period of the food in the stomach and intestines will extend from the fourth month of pregnancy because the hormone level inside changes irregularly. For example, the increased secretion of progesterone will slow down enteric-coated peristalsis and impede normal excretion. In the middle and later stages of pregnancy, the enlarging uterus increases the pressure on the intestinal muscle, which leads to difficulties in evacuation.  This can be explained in more detail: 

 1. The increasing uterus begins to push the colon, so that the faeces are transmitted at a slow rate, resulting in abnormal bowel movements. 

 2. Hormonal changes: The increasing progestational hormone can reduce the tension of the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract (intestine from the end of the stomach to the anus), which leads to a loss of defecation. 

 3. The eating habits change. For instance, the loss of fibre contained in coarse grain can reduce the number of faeces as well as the urge to defecate that could otherwise stimulate the intestinal wall. 

 4. During pregnancy, insufficient exercise could affect the convolutions of the colon. 

 5. Some pregnant women take medications such as sedatives to relieve the unpleasant symptoms. However, this medication can cause side effects in bowel function, which is the critical factor of constipation in pregnancy. 

From the point of view of Eastern medicine, pregnant women could suffer fro m internal injuries in the spleen and stomach.  In addition, inadequate intake of water and fluid loss through sweating can damage the yin and result in a deficiency of Qi and blood in the body. Moreover, the impaired Qi may cause the colon to move slowly, and insufficient blood can’t nourish the colon, which leads to a dry bowel and difficulties in defecation.