Is Diarrhea A Sign of Pregnancy?

Pregnancy may be one of the amazing periods for women, but it can also bring about weird questions such as “Is diarrhea a sign of pregnancy?” Would you like to know the answer to the question? Read this.

Is Diarrhea a Sign of Pregnancy? | Get the Answer – and More

In This Article:

• So Is Diarrhea a Sign of Pregnancy?
• How to Treat Diarrhea During Pregnancy
• Other Signs of Early Pregnancy

So Is Diarrhea a Sign of Pregnancy?

This post may contain affiliate links. For my full disclosure policy click here.

For a lot of women, the question “Is diarrhea a sign of pregnancy?” may be one of the furthest in their minds, but the consensus is — it can be.

There are a lot of reasons why pregnant women may develop diarrhea. For one, it’s normal to experience changes not only in appetite but also food preferences. The types of food you enjoy pre-pregnancy may be revolting for the stomach during conception.

On the other hand, the ones you think you’ll never eat in a lifetime may become the most appealing to you.

Another possible explanation can be the changes in hormone levels. Pregnancy hormones do not only fluctuate, but they can do so significantly they create changes in the way your body works.

When it comes to the digestive system, they may result in a faster passing of stool or more frequent bowel movements.

Although some women experience diarrhea in early pregnancy stages due to hormone and diet changes, most pregnant women go through it in their third trimester.

This is because diarrhea can also be an indicator of labor. You may notice loose stools days or weeks before labor begins as the body prepares for the birth.

Further, as contractions push the baby into position, the pressure and cramping can affect your bowel habits.

How to Treat Diarrhea During Pregnancy

Now you know the answer to “Is diarrhea a sign of pregnancy?” the next thing to tackle is whether you should do something about it.

In some cases, it resolves on its own in a couple of days. However, the biggest threat is dehydration. You need to increase hydration by consuming plenty of juice, water, or other fluids to help replace the electrolytes. The broth is amazing in raising potassium and sodium levels.

You also need to pay more attention to your body. If it doesn’t go away in a few days, it’s possible you have stomach flu or a gut-related problem such as irritable bowel syndrome. This may need further treatment from a specialist.

Call your OB right away if diarrhea comes with abdominal pain or cramps. You may already be experiencing miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. Both can be serious or life-threatening.

Seek medical help fast too if you are suffering from severe diarrhea. You might have food poisoning.

Other Signs of Early Pregnancy

While a pregnancy test is one of the ways to confirm conception, you can also consider common early pregnancy symptoms. These can include:

1. Changes in Your Breasts

One of the first symptoms you may notice is your breasts will feel fuller. You may experience tenderness as well. Others observe darkening or enlarging of the areolas.

2. Frequent Urination

One of the early signs of pregnancy is the need or urge to urinate often.

During pregnancy, the hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) increases, which triggers the trips to the bathroom even though there may be little output.

Further, as the baby grows, the uterus also expands, eventually pressing toward the bladder.

3. Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is a common symptom of pregnancy, although the name can be misleading as nausea can occur at any time of day. You may experience bouts of queasiness or actual vomiting. This can happen anywhere from two weeks until two months after conceiving.

4. Extreme Fatigue

One of the most frustrating symptoms of early pregnancy is fatigue. Your progesterone levels continue to rise, leaving you feeling exhausted. This can take the form from being sleepy throughout the first trimester to being physically worn out after the slightest amount of activity.

5. Sore Gums

There’s an odd question other than “Is diarrhea a sign of pregnancy?” and that is “Why do my gums bleed or become swollen while pregnant?”

When you become pregnant, your blood volume rises, creating swelling. Your gums may also become puffy due to increased levels of bacteria in the mouth.

6. Changes in Cervical Mucus

When you are trying to conceive, it is likely you are tracking changes in your cervical mucus. In a normal cycle, it will be thick and egg-like during ovulation and turn dry if no conception takes place.

If you do conceive during your cycle, the mucus will stay the way it was during ovulation for multiple days after ovulation has occurred.

7. Bloating and Cramping

When the egg begins to implant into your uterine wall, you may feel some cramping as well as a backache and mild bloating.

8. Spotting

When the egg implants in your uterus, you can experience light bleeding for a few days. This is called implantation bleeding. Its color is lighter and more brownish than a normal menstrual period.

9. Metallic Taste

Hormonal changes can cause not only an aversion to certain types of food but also a metallic taste in the mouth.

10. Extra Saliva

With your progesterone level increasing, the muscles in your body will begin to relax. These include those in the mouth and esophagus. This relaxation can lead to an increase in saliva and larger amounts of drool.

11. Constipation

Diarrhea is not the only sign of pregnancy, so is constipation. It happens because progesterone increases. It slows down the movement in your bowels.

Diarrhea may be a sign of labor, but are there others? Here are some soft signs as explained by Med Twice:

Is diarrhea a sign of pregnancy? The answer is yes, but that doesn’t mean you don’t do anything about it. There are many ways to make the unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy much easier to bear. Remember, too, unless you have other underlying conditions, pregnancy symptoms will eventually pass. Either way, always talk to your doctor about the changes you’re going through.

Have you experienced diarrhea during your pregnancy? Share your stories in the comments section below.

Up Next: Pregnancy Discharge | What’s Normal?