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Pregnancy, puerperium and perinatal constipation – an observational hybrid survey on pregnant and postpartum women and their age‐matched non‐pregnant controls
Author(s) -
Kuronen M,
Hantunen S,
Alanne L,
Kokki H,
Saukko C,
Sjövall S,
Vesterinen K,
Kokki M
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/1471-0528.16559
Subject(s) - medicine , constipation , obstetrics , caesarean section , pregnancy , childbirth , vaginal delivery , observational study , population , breastfeeding , vomiting , nausea , gynecology , pediatrics , genetics , environmental health , biology
Objective To evaluate the prevalence of constipation during pregnancy and early puerperium. Design Observational survey. Setting Secondary and tertiary hospital in Finland. Population Pregnant ( n = 474) and postpartum ( n = 403) women and a control group of 200 non‐pregnant women who did not give birth in the past year. Methods Women reported bowel function and other gastrointestinal symptoms on a structured questionnaire using an 11‐point numerical rating scale (0 = no symptom, 10 = most severe symptom) and binominal yes/no questions during the second and third trimesters and few days and 1 month after childbirth. Main outcome measure Prevalence of constipation based on the Rome IV criteria. Results The data consist of five cohorts of women: second trimester ( n = 264), third trimester ( n = 210), after vaginal delivery ( n = 200) or caesarean section ( n = 203), and a control group ( n = 200). The prevalence of constipation was 40% in pregnant women and 52% ( P < 0.001) in postpartum women, which was a higher prevalence than that in the control group, where 21% had constipation ( P < 0.001). A few days after delivery, the prevalence of constipation was lower after vaginal delivery (47%) than caesarean section (57%, P < 0.039). One month postpartum, the prevalence of constipation was low: 9% after vaginal delivery ( P = 0.002 compared with the control group) and 15% after caesarean section. Other gastrointestinal symptoms were common; pregnant women had the highest prevalence (34%) of nausea/vomiting. Conclusion The prevalence of constipation was two‐ to three‐fold higher in pregnant women and a few days after delivery than in non‐pregnant women. During puerperium, bowel function returned to or below that reported in non‐pregnant women. Tweetable abstract Constipation is common in pregnancy and after delivery, but bowel function returns early in puerperium.