Is It Safe To Use Laxatives During Pregnancy

Is it safe to use laxatives during pregnancy? This is a common problem every pregnant woman asks her doctor as soon as she begins to feel a little constipated.

If fibre-rich foods, water and that extra consumption of fluids don't work, it is wise to take a pill to ease your constipation, as per a doctor's prescription.

New studies show that women who experience constant constipation issues during pregnancy should be careful about the pills and stool softeners that they take, as a regular consumption might be harmful to the growing baby and mother.

Experts state that the best remedy to treat constipation during pregnancy is to add fibre-rich foods to your daily diet. Alongside a balanced diet, it is important for a woman to also do a little exercise that can help the body to stay active and fit.

Lack of exercise, even during pregnancy, can affect the mother and cause complications at the time of labour. To also ease constipation during pregnancy, the other remedy that is effective and safe is by reducing the amount of iron supplements in your everyday dosage of medications.

If it is necessary for you to pop in an iron-based pill, make sure that your intake of water and vitamin fluids are increased. Staying away from coffee too is ideally the best choice to reduce the chance of worsening constipation during pregnancy.

When it comes to laxatives to calm the tummy, it is best to opt for bulk-forming laxatives, lubricant laxatives, stimulant laxatives, osmotic laxatives and, of course, stool softeners. However, these mentioned laxatives should not become a habit each time your tummy feels hard and uneasy, as these medications, when taken for long periods, can result in dehydration and create an imbalance of mineral and salt levels in your body.

If these medical laxatives scare you, it is best to choose natural remedies like horseradish, where in a pregnant woman has to drink the water every morning for 3 days, until the problem fades away. The other natural remedy to treat constipation in pregnant women is to consume any dish that contains cabbage, since the green vegetable is loaded with vitamins and fibre that is needed to help pass the stools.

Pregnant women can also opt for chamomile tea, as this tea helps in relaxing the intestinal tract, thus making it easy to pass stools. Chamomile tea can also be soothing for a pregnant woman and, best of all, it eliminates insomnia that is another common and annoying problem faced during pregnancy.

Therefore, it is safe to use laxatives during pregnancy; however, never cross an overdose limit, as it can have adverse effects on the growing foetus.