Constipation and diarrhoea in early pregnancy

Hormonal changes can slow bowel movement and contribute to constipation. Nausea, altered eating, supplements, a stomach infection, food intolerance, or stress can produce loose stools. Passing watery stool does not always mean the constipation has cleared; hard stool can remain while liquid passes around it.

Pregnancy symptoms overlap with many ordinary digestive problems. The pattern, duration, ability to drink, urine output, fever, pain, and any vaginal bleeding are more useful than one bowel movement when deciding how urgently to seek advice.

Take frequent small drinks and consider an oral rehydration product after repeated loose stools, following pharmacist advice. Choose gentle foods you can tolerate, then return gradually to fibre-rich foods as diarrhoea settles. For constipation, fluids, gentle activity, and gradual fibre may help. Check every laxative, anti-diarrhoeal medicine, supplement, and herbal product with a maternity clinician or pharmacist before using it.

Contact maternity or urgent services for inability to keep fluids down, very little or dark urine, faintness, severe or one-sided abdominal pain, fever, blood in stool, black stool, vaginal bleeding, shoulder-tip pain, or worsening symptoms. Arrange advice if bowel changes continue, recur, or make it difficult to eat and drink.

Could my pregnancy supplement or another medicine be affecting my bowel? Which rehydration, fibre, laxative, or diarrhoea treatment is suitable? What symptoms should prompt maternity assessment?