Pregnant woman has green stools. Appearance at a later date. Causes of fecal discoloration hazardous to health

With the onset of pregnancy, a woman is restructuring the work of all internal systems. It sometimes has visual manifestations that can be confusing and disturbing. For example, women are worried about why they have black or green feces during pregnancy when they have a bowel movement.

The nature of the phenomenon

Feces change its color not only in pregnant women - everyone is subject to this phenomenon. In the process of processing food, many organs are involved: the stomach digests them, the intestine removes the excess from the body. This process takes a significant period of time, and so that the removed "waste" along the way does not deteriorate, the feces are preserved.

The liver is responsible for this function, and it also endows the stool with one color or another (depending on the enzymes produced). For a number of reasons, stagnation in movement can occur, and the pregnant woman begins to suffer from constipation. And here the body will worry about the convenience of the system, enveloping the compacted feces with a slimy composition.

If a pregnant woman's feces come out with mucus, this is not a reason to worry - this is how the intestine protects itself from the possibility of injury from hard masses. You should be more worried if the stool came out with impurities of blood (which means that a wound has formed somewhere in the anus) or changed its color.

What color should a pregnant woman's feces be? Brown stools are considered normal for every healthy person. In a pregnant woman, it can change somewhat, becoming darker or lighter, since an additional load falls on the liver (as well as on other organs).

Color change

The stool changes its color for various reasons - some of them are associated with health problems, others are the result of food intake. At the same time, the palette of feces is diverse - from white to black.

Bright hues. Excessively light stools are usually associated with fermentation problems. In other words, less bile is produced than is necessary. It is sometimes associated with liver infections (such as hepatitis). The doctor may also suspect the presence of stones or tumors in the biliary tract.

But you should not immediately think about the worst - light yellow feces in pregnant women appear even after eating dairy products, as well as in connection with the passion for plant diets. The true cause of the color change should be determined by the attending physician.

Black color. The same is the case with black shades. The worst option is if there is internal bleeding in the body (stomach or duodenal ulcer has opened). But this is not a common phenomenon, so you need to tune in to it last.

A more trivial reason for black stools is taking multivitamin complexes, which are prescribed to the expectant mother. One of the components of dietary supplements is iron, which is not fully absorbed by the body. The excreted excess of the ferum gives pigmentation to the feces. It is necessary to stop taking the drug and after a couple of days the stool will acquire a normal shade.

Pregnant women often suffer from bloating, so they sometimes take activated charcoal, which is a great coloring agent, like a number of foods. The bowel movements will darken under the influence of blueberries, beets, currants, liver and blood sausage.

Norm and pathology

A green chair is considered more natural for a woman in an “interesting position”. If the pregnant woman feels normal at the same time, she has nothing to worry about.

Why are pregnant feces green:

• due to products with green dyes;
• with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• with liver problems.

In the diet of a pregnant woman, there are many green products (cucumbers, apples, kiwi, lettuce, spicy herbs). It is they who become the culprit for the change in the color of the stool. But if accompanying symptoms appeared with a green tint, then you should definitely be examined for health problems.

Green feces in a pregnant woman, emitting an unpleasant putrid odor, indicates the development of dysbiosis.

This is due to the inflammatory processes in the intestines, which led to the death of leukocytes. The appearance of weakness, abdominal cramps, nausea and even vomiting in addition to green stools are signs of dysentery. This diagnosis is accompanied by a high temperature. The presence of all these symptoms requires urgent medical attention.

The dark green color of the stool is most dangerous, as this is a sign of an increased bilirubin content. It appears in the body in case of serious diseases of the liver and blood, leading to a massive breakdown of red blood cells.

When the color of the chair changes, a woman in an “interesting position” should not panic immediately. It is recommended to observe yourself for several days, changing your diet during this period. If the cause was food, then you can calm down. In other cases (when there are accompanying signs), it is better to immediately consult a supervising doctor - it will not hurt to play it safe.

During pregnancy, many women begin to experience a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. This is quite natural, because now two organisms feed on your vitamin reserves at once, and they need to be replenished. For this purpose, doctors prescribe multivitamin preparations for all pregnant women. In addition, the level often falls during this period, and it must be increased. Therefore, in addition, you may be prescribed iron supplements.

Usually, the gynecologist warns his ward that the feces can change a lot: it acquires a different consistency, black color and a specific smell. But many women do not know about this, and due to their position and increased suspiciousness during this period, they begin to worry too much.

All multivitamin complexes for pregnant women contain iron. It is it that stains the stool black, which is considered quite normal and does not require any therapeutic measures. There is an opinion that this fact proves that vitamins are real, that is, good. Doctors say that in this way an excess of iron leaves the body: the body absorbs the necessary dose, and all the excess goes away with the stool, giving it a characteristic color. Therefore, you do not need to stop using vitamins. However, some believe that in this case it is necessary to change the vitamins taken for others, since they do not give the desired effect and all the benefits fly down the toilet along with black feces. Only one thing can be said with certainty: if you associate the appearance of black stools with the beginning of taking vitamins or other medications (for example), and at the same time you feel great, there is no reason to worry. But it will not be superfluous to tell your doctor about this if you do not know what to do about it. And in order to calm yourself down for sure, you can check the reason for the appearance of black feces as follows: stop taking your vitamins for a few days and make sure that the color of the stool is normalized.

In addition, there are many different food colors, the use of which also affects the discoloration of feces, including black. This can be, for example, liver, bloody sausage, blueberries, currants. Remember if you ate something like this the day before.

It is another matter if black feces during pregnancy are not associated with the above factors. In this case, it is necessary to make a total and biochemical blood test. If in the past there was a stomach or duodenal ulcer, a fecal occult blood test may be necessary. The fact is that black stools can be a symptom of gastric bleeding. True, in this case, the stool becomes liquid, the color of coffee grounds, and other signs of internal bleeding appear: collapse, pallor, sticky cold sweat, and so on. In this case, the blood in the feces is traced unchanged. If you see something like this, you need to urgently see a surgeon.

Specially for - Elena Kichak

Any changes in the body of a pregnant woman cause excitement in the expectant mother, because deviations can affect the baby. One of these exciting changes is black feces during pregnancy. What is the reason for this and whether it is worth fearing black feces, this article will tell.

Causes of black feces during pregnancy

Women in a position are often looking for an answer to the question of why feces during pregnancy are black. The reasons for this phenomenon can be different - for some of them, you need to rush to your doctor, and in other situations - analyze what was eaten the day before. According to gastroenterologists, black feces can be eliminated by resorting to proper nutrition. However, in any case, this unpleasant symptom requires finding out the exact reason for such a reaction of the body of the expectant mother.

In the early stages of pregnancy, all organs of the unborn child are laid. This period is accompanied by an early degree of toxicosis, the symptoms of which are such gastrointestinal disorders:

Poor appetite;

Nausea;

Vomiting urge;

Diarrhea.

This can also include a change in the consistency or color of feces, which occurs due to hormonal changes in the body and does not require treatment. However, sometimes there are clinical cases of black feces in the 1st trimester or at a later date. In such situations, the expectant mother needs the help of qualified doctors.

Effect of nutrition during pregnancy on feces color

Often, the unusual color of the stool directly depends on the food that the expectant mother ate. If black feces are found, it is necessary to remember what the pregnant woman used in the morning or last night. This is due to the presence of coloring pigments in some products, namely:

Pigmented fruits (for example, pomegranate, grapes, plums, mountain ash), vegetables (for example, beets, tomatoes) and dried fruits (prunes);

Meat delicacies and offal, for example, "bloodwort" sausage, liver;

Drinks - multicolored "sparkling water", natural coffee, powdered wine.

The digestive system partially digests pigmented foods, and removes the remains along with feces, giving it a frightening dark color. After analyzing her menu and responding to a product with a pigment for a while, a pregnant woman will most likely normalize her feces very quickly.

The effect of medications on stool color

In some situations, the cause of black feces in late pregnancy or early pregnancy may be medication. Medicines that can stain the contents of the intestines include:

Black activated carbon and other sorbents - sorbent substances are not absorbed into the bloodstream, therefore they are excreted along with feces, staining it in an unnatural color;

Medications high in iron;

Preparations containing bismuth;

Multivitamins.

Often on the forums you can see comments that black feces in a pregnant woman appears after taking vitamins Elevit Pronatal. This multivitamin contains iron and other beneficial substances for the body of a pregnant woman. Elevit and its analogues are not completely broken down by gastric juice, so its particles are excreted along with feces. Black feces in a pregnant woman when taking iron is considered absolutely normal and it is rash to refuse general strengthening vitamins in this case, since nothing threatens the woman and her baby.

Under what circumstances should you go to the hospital

Black feces in a pregnant woman after taking iron-containing preparations is a consequence of the physiology of the body. However, if darkening of feces occurred in the expectant mother with a diagnosis of gastritis, stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer, then you should immediately seek help from your doctor. In this case, black feces in the 2nd trimester or at other stages of pregnancy is a symptom of internal intestinal bleeding against the background of an exacerbation of the disease.

With such bleeding, blood enters the stomach or duodenum and reacts there with gastric juice. This leads to the fact that the blood changes its color - it becomes darker. When darkened blood enters the feces, the feces become black. This pathology is accompanied by the following symptoms:

Periodic pains that are aggravated and then subside;

Pallor of the skin;

General weakness of the body;

Heart rhythm disorder;

Excessive sweating;

Light-headedness.

Internal bleeding is a threat to a developing baby. Therefore, if a pregnant woman, in addition to black feces, has any of the above symptoms, then she urgently needs to see a doctor.

If the fecal masses have acquired a black color with a greenish tinge and has the consistency of diarrhea, then this mainly indicates the development of an intestinal infection. This disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:

Persistent or recurrent abdominal pain;

Chills and fever;

Headache;

Nausea and vomiting.

An intestinal infection requires immediate treatment, which in most cases consists of medication, mostly antibiotics.

Diagnostics of the black feces

Darkening of fecal masses in a pregnant woman requires finding out the exact reason why this symptom appeared. The doctor must determine the pathology, this or a physiological phenomenon due to previously taken food or medicines.

When a future mother is treated with black feces, the doctor must collect the following information:

Gestational age;

Does the patient have a history of gastrointestinal diseases;

How often black stool occurs;

What is the consistency of the darkened feces;

What is the diet of a future mother.

If a pregnant woman comes to the 3rd trimester, then the doctor finds out if there is gestosis. After examining these data, the doctor can determine the method for further diagnosis:

General analysis of urine and feces;

A detailed blood test;

Coprogram;

Analysis of feces for the Gregersen reaction;

Ultrasound examination of the digestive tract;

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy;

Breath test.

Treatment for black feces

Therapy for darkened fecal masses during pregnancy consists not only of drug treatment, but also of homeopathy and traditional medicine. In this case, the expectant mother must observe a sparing regimen, exclude physical and psycho-emotional stress. The doctor will also help you choose a special diet.

Diet with black feces

A moderate diet is an integral part of a successful black stool treatment. The diet of the expectant mother should be based on foods that are easily digested by gastric juice. The basic principles of a black feces diet are as follows:

Use cooking as the main way to heat food;

Eat the prepared dish warm;

Eat foods that are low in dietary fiber, such as semolina, steamed fish, milk, boiled potatoes, fruit purees;

Completely exclude sour, smoked and salty foods from the diet;

Simple carbohydrates (sweets, white bread, sweet pastry, etc.) are replaced with complex ones, for example, oatmeal, which has enveloping properties;

Eat protein products daily - boiled meat and fish. Legumes are best put off until better times;

Limit the use of dairy products;

Drink warm weak tea, homemade fruit drinks and uzvars.

Medication for black feces

If, after the studies, the doctor found an intestinal infection of a bacterial nature, then he prescribes a combination therapy, including antibiotics, adsorbents and probiotics. When prescribing medications, the specialist takes into account the condition of the pregnant woman and selects only those drugs that are allowed during the period of gestation. During the period of treatment, the condition of the mother and baby is constantly monitored in order to take emergency measures in the event of the development of certain complications.

Drug therapy for a pregnant woman with black feces looks like this:

- "Cepefim" - the active substance of this antibacterial drug quickly and effectively eliminates pathogenic bacteria. The drug is a powder for intravenous and intramuscular injection. The daily dosage of "Cepefim" is 1 g, and the course of treatment should not exceed 7 days. This drug does not adversely affect the fetus and pregnancy, but it can cause some side effects, such as headache, general weakness, allergic reaction, upset stomach;

- "Smecta" - one of the most popular sorbing drugs, which is designed to cleanse the intestines and normalize its work. Also, this medicine eliminates heartburn and flatulence. The drug is a white powder, which is sold in sachets of 3 g. The powder is diluted in 0.5 glasses of water and taken orally 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 5-7 days. Since "Smecta" is not absorbed into the tissues and leaves the body in an undiluted state, this medicine is absolutely harmless for pregnant and lactating women;

- "Linex" is a probiotic drug that accompanies treatment with any antibiotics. The product is available in capsules containing "live" bacteria, thereby restoring a healthy intestinal microflora and helping to eliminate diarrhea. Reception of "Linex" is allowed during the period of bearing a child, as it does not harm the baby and does not cause adverse reactions. The expectant mother should take the medicine 2 capsules three times a day. The course of treatment is three to seven days.

It should be noted that with exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases and the appearance of black stools, the expectant mother is not prescribed vitamins.

Traditional medicine and treatment of black feces

In combination with conservative treatment, you can take medicinal herbal decoctions, which have anti-inflammatory and sedative effects. You can use any traditional medicine only after consulting a doctor.

The following herbal drink recipes have an effective effect:
- dried St. John's wort and immortelle are crushed and poured into a glass of water, then boiled for 5 minutes and infused for 10 minutes. The drink is taken in 0.5 tsp three times a day;

2 tablespoons of dried chamomile is brewed in 1 liter of water and infused for 1 hour. A spoonful of honey is added to the finished broth. The drink should be taken 0.5 cups 3 times a day;

2 tablespoons of dry sage is brewed in 1 liter of boiling water and infused for an hour. Then the broth is filtered and taken half a glass twice a day.

More information about the causes of black feces can be found in the video:

It should be remembered that any pathology is easier to prevent than to treat later. Proper nutrition and adherence to all the doctor's recommendations in most cases will avoid darkening of the stool.

All people are inherently embarrassed at the mention of feces, and sensitive pregnant women tend to avoid such a delicate topic altogether. In fact, there is nothing funny or awkward in discussing these issues with doctors, since the color of the stool signals changes in the body, and during pregnancy, expectant mothers should especially carefully monitor their health. In addition, the fear of discussing topics related to feces can lead to fears and anxieties that are completely inappropriate in such an interesting position of a woman.

The liver is responsible for the preservation of feces, its color, consistency and smell, and during pregnancy it works in an enhanced mode. Normal feces from a healthy person are usually stained brown with bile pigments. But depending on changes in the body, the color of the stool can change from white to black. This effect can occur due to the consumption of food with an intense color (everyone knows about what happens to feces after beet salad, for example), but this can also manifest itself in any deviations in the body. Changing the color of feces during pregnancy is important for diagnosis, since in most cases it is associated with developing diseases or pathologies.

Black feces during pregnancy

Almost all pregnant women take vitamin complexes containing iron. It is this trace element that stains the feces black. Thus, the body gets rid of excess, not absorbed iron. You should not be afraid and stop drinking vitamins, especially if you feel good.

If there is no certainty about the cause of the change in feces, then you can consult a doctor and conduct an experiment: the intake of the vitamin complex must be stopped for several days and the color of the feces should be monitored. If its color has become the same, then it's all about multivitamins, and one can only be glad that they work.

Sometimes, black stool during pregnancy is caused by foods such as blueberries, beets, liver, blood sausage and currants.

But if these products were not consumed and vitamin complexes were not prescribed, and the feces still turned black, then additional examinations should be carried out:

• Biochemistry and complete blood count.
• Analysis of feces for occult blood in case of previously identified gastric or duodenal ulcers.

In the second variant, dark feces during pregnancy can be a symptom of gastric bleeding, but the well-being of a pregnant woman definitely worsens (it becomes pale, sweats), and the feces itself looks more liquid and its color is similar to coffee grounds.

Green feces during pregnancy

Such feces can appear for various reasons. If a person is healthy and does not bother him, then a similar phenomenon can occur when eating foods with green dyes.

Also, green feces can appear in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, dysbiosis. Also, a putrid unpleasant odor is observed. These symptoms arise from dead white blood cells that accumulate in the intestines as a result of an acute inflammatory process.

Green stools can be present with dysentery, but this adds symptoms such as general weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea and fever.

With diseases of the blood and liver, a massive breakdown of red blood cells occurs, as a result of which bilirubin is formed - this pigment stains the feces in a dark green color.

With green feces and any accompanying symptoms, a pregnant woman should definitely see a doctor to determine the cause of the deviation.

Light feces during pregnancy

The reasons for light feces can be either completely harmless (plant-based diet, consumption of dairy products in large quantities), or indicative of serious problems. In infectious diseases affecting the liver and pancreas - hepatitis, pancreatitis, etc. - enzymatic processes are disrupted, and bile is produced in insufficient quantities. This is the reason for the clarification of feces.

Light yellow feces during pregnancy can also indicate the presence of obstacles in the body for normal bile secretion - stones, tumors, etc.

Feces with blood during pregnancy

Feces with fresh blood can be observed only in those cases when the place of internal bleeding is located near the anus - in the rectum or one of the last sections of the large intestine. Otherwise, the blood will change the color of the stool and it will turn black.

The causes of bloody stool can be: hemorrhoids, cracks in the anus, malignant tumors of the rectum.

Clotted or streaked blood in the stool is a sign of chronic bowel disease such as Crohn's disease, dysbiosis, or ulcerative colitis.

Feces with mucus during pregnancy

Sometimes, with endocrine disorders in the body or with a sedentary lifestyle of a pregnant woman (for example, bed rest with a threat of miscarriage), expectant mothers experience constipation. If the delay in bowel movement is prolonged, then there is a liquefaction of the stool with mucus, which occurs due to irritation of the intestinal walls. In this case, the feces will be with mucus, but after stool normalization, this phenomenon should disappear.

Also, mucus in the feces can appear in acute inflammatory bowel diseases - colitis, enteritis, proctitis, etc.

As you can see, a change in the color of feces can indicate both developing pathologies and a change in diet, therefore, the primary factor in this case is the general well-being of a pregnant woman.

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Pregnancy is an amazing state for every woman when a new life is born. A woman is transforming, her body is also being rebuilt, preparing for the appearance of a healthy baby. Unfortunately, sometimes unforeseen problems arise. Black feces during pregnancy can greatly scare the expectant mother.

Should you sound the alarm if your bowel movements change? Disorders of the functions of the digestive system are most often observed. For example, changes in the regularity of the stool, its consistency, feces appear black or other shades with an admixture of undigested particles. Do not worry ahead of time, you need to figure everything out.

The body of a pregnant woman works for two, but it is not so easy, it is not always possible to cope independently. An increased load on the liver will disrupt its usual function, which can be expressed in a deviation of laboratory blood parameters, feces also begin to change in a number of indicators.

Reasons for fecal changes

Feces during pregnancy can change due to inappropriate nutrition, hypovitaminosis and, mainly, due to hormonal changes. With pregnancy, the amount of progesterone synthesized in the body increases significantly, which is needed for the normal growth and development of the fetus. However, progesterone contributes to the metabolic processes of the mother's body.

Already in the first trimester, under the influence of progesterone, peristalsis decreases, the movement of feces through the intestines slows down. As a result, the smell (sharp, unpleasant), the consistency (from mushy to hard), the color of feces (feces of a dark color) can change.

With good general condition, there is nothing to worry about in this situation. Loose stools during pregnancy also appear as a result of the unpredictable influence of hormonal levels. Most often, diarrhea is accompanied by symptoms of toxicosis (nausea, frequent vomiting). Usually, by the beginning of the second trimester, the condition is normalized.

In the second trimester, the organs and systems of the unborn baby are formed, therefore it is very important to create all the conditions for him during this period. It is from 4–5 months that most pregnant women begin to prescribe iron supplements or multivitamin complexes, since the fetus has already pretty much depleted the mother's iron stores. This therapy continues until the end of pregnancy and even after childbirth. Therefore, color transformation in the second trimester during bowel movements is not a reason for canceling prescribed drugs.

Dark stools during pregnancy can also occur with other medicines, such as activated carbon, bismuth preparations, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Such phenomena can occur both in the early stages and at later stages. In such cases, during pregnancy, black feces are normal, there is no need to panic. Persistent or appearing dark stool after childbirth is formed for similar reasons.

The black-green color of feces indicates the death of beneficial microorganisms in the small intestine and, therefore, dysbiosis. This can be caused by taking specific medications or eating disorders. However, in the presence of other symptoms, poisoning and infectious and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should be excluded.

Alimentary factor

It is important not to forget what food was consumed the day before. Some foods contain dark pigments:

• blueberries, currants, blackberries, prunes;
• beets, tomatoes;
• liver, offal.

As a result of processing these pigments, black stools are formed. The greenish color of feces during pregnancy indicates an excess intake of fiber containing green pigments (broccoli, spinach, lettuce, fruits), such diets are often accompanied by an insufficient amount of protein in the diet. In rare cases, bowel movements of green shades appear while taking a complex of vitamins and minerals. Similar symptoms can occur with intestinal infections.

It is possible to differentiate these conditions by examining feces for intestinal infections.

Conditions requiring attention

But rational vigilance should not be abandoned. An established diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease, concomitant weakness, pallor, cold, clammy sweat and even abdominal pain should increase alertness. If, at the same time, the feces are also dark in color, with a mushy consistency, then there may be gastrointestinal bleeding. It is necessary to pass a general blood test as early as possible to control the level of hemoglobin and erythrocytes, a biochemical blood test to monitor possible organ damage, feces for a coprogram and feces for occult blood to clarify the disease. You should also consult a doctor who can prescribe EGDS, make a final diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Black feces during pregnancy can appear with an exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Gastritis, hepatitis, enterocolitis contribute to the violation of food processing, secrete an excess amount of enzymes. As a result, pigments and black, poorly digested food particles form dark stools. In this case, with darkening of the stool, it is necessary to pass an analysis of feces for an extended coprogram, which includes chemical, macroscopic and immunochemical studies. You also need to consult your doctor.

It would seem that with the birth of a small miracle, all adversity should pass, but why after childbirth the states described above persist? It's simple: the body has long adapted to the developing child, so it also takes time to recover. Stool after childbirth returns to normal within a month, but dark-colored bowel movements may persist longer if the woman continues to drink iron supplements or multivitamins.

Prevention

In most cases, an isolated change in stool consistency or color during pregnancy is not dangerous, and can be corrected by observing a balanced diet with mandatory product quality control.

The diet should be balanced, with a sufficient amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Taking medications should be under the supervision of a doctor, and in case of correction of anemia, it is necessary to control the parameters of erythrocytes (in the general blood test). Identifying dark feces during pregnancy, the main thing is to correctly determine the cause of the change in the usual stool.