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. 2021 May;128(6):1057-1064.
doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.16559. Epub 2020 Oct 25.

Pregnancy, puerperium and perinatal constipation - an observational hybrid survey on pregnant and postpartum women and their age-matched non-pregnant controls

M Kuronen  1   2 , S Hantunen  3 , L Alanne  2 , H Kokki  2 , C Saukko  2 , S Sjövall  4 , K Vesterinen  2 , M Kokki  1
Affiliations

Pregnancy, puerperium and perinatal constipation - an observational hybrid survey on pregnant and postpartum women and their age-matched non-pregnant controls

M Kuronen et al. BJOG. 2021 May.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Bowel function; constipation; postpartum; pregnancy; puerperium.

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Comment in

  • Constipation during and after pregnancy.
    Johannessen HH, Cartwright R. Johannessen HH, et al. BJOG. 2021 May;128(6):1065. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.16603. Epub 2020 Dec 13. BJOG. 2021. PMID: 33217146 No abstract available.

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