Rumbling in the intestines during pregnancy

Rumbling in the stomach is a symptom that pregnant women often experience. May cause psychological discomfort if repeated repeatedly, especially in inappropriate situations in the presence of other people. This is a physiological process that cannot be controlled. May indicate a feeling of hunger, fullness of the stomach, or be a marker of a pathological process. If the symptom bothers you constantly, it is recommended to consult a doctor and undergo a comprehensive examination.

It is important to consider that rumbling can be a symptom of pathological conditions that require appropriate therapy: cholecystitis, gastroenteritis, pancreatitis, gastritis, colitis, dysbacteriosis, ulcerative lesions of the stomach and duodenum, irritable bowel syndrome. If the rumbling bothers you constantly, a pregnant woman is advised to consult a gastroenterologist.

Symptoms

Stages of digestion
Rumbling can occur when the stomach is digesting food, receiving liquid, or mixing a bolus of food with gastric juice. Hydrochloric acid synthesis occurs every few hours. This is accompanied by contraction of muscle tissue. If there is no food, gastric juice mixes with air and gases form. As they progress, a characteristic rumbling sound is heard, which disturbs the pregnant woman.

When making a diagnosis, the doctor takes into account the type of rumbling:

• intense sounds may indicate a lack of enzymes that are necessary for the normal digestion of incoming food;
• morning symptoms of the day indicate a malfunction of the bile secretion system;
• rumbling at night - congestion, weak motility of the gastrointestinal tract;
• if gurgling is added to the sounds, this indicates the accumulation of excess fluid in the intestinal tract, malabsorption;
• regular rumbling during the day or at night indicates impaired absorption of nutrients from food;
• seething, which is accompanied by bloating and increased gas formation, may indicate disruption of the pancreas, or pathological processes affecting the small intestine.

Important!

If rumbling is accompanied by pain, this is an alarming signal that indicates dysfunction of the large intestine.

It is advisable to pay attention to the symptom when the body of a pregnant woman is in a different position:

• lying on your back - the body’s response to dysfunction of the large or small intestine;
• left side - rumbling signals are sent by the pancreas and sigmoid colon;
• right side - dysfunction of the biliary system;
• upper part of the abdominal region - impaired intestinal motility;
• lower part of the abdominal region - pathological processes affecting the large intestine;
• left side of the abdomen - enzyme deficiency;
• right side of the abdomen - disruption of the liver and gall bladder.

The doctor takes into account the general clinical picture, gestational age, concomitant disorders, age, and individual characteristics of the woman’s body. Next, a comprehensive examination is prescribed, and means of symptom correction are prescribed.

Changes in the female body and possible pathologies

Mid-pregnancy is a period of relative physical well-being.
During the first trimester of gestation, the woman’s body has already adapted to new conditions, nausea and emotional stress rarely occur, and the pregnant woman feels a surge of strength and energy. However, even during this period, changes occur in the body that can cause discomfort and negatively affect health. These include:

1. Lack of calcium in the body. Calcium is used for the growth and development of the fetus. An insufficient level of this element can lead to fragility of tooth enamel, cause a decrease in immunity, cause inflammatory processes and metabolic disorders. To avoid such problems, it is important to enrich your diet with dairy products, legumes, cabbage, and seafood.
2. Enlargement of the mammary glands and increased sensitivity of the nipples. Such physiological changes are caused by hormonal changes and a rush of blood to the mammary glands. When the nipples come into contact with the surface of clothing, a woman may experience discomfort. The optimal solution in this situation is a supportive bra made of soft, natural and hypoallergenic material.
3. Abdominal enlargement. The most intense growth of the abdomen is observed from 15-16 weeks of gestation. This can lead to decreased physical activity and, as a result, rapid weight gain. Excess weight is dangerous during pregnancy: it disrupts metabolism, creates additional stress on the organs of the genitourinary system, and increases the likelihood of infections. In addition, obesity can cause the fetus to become too large, develop hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels) and other complications. Therefore, it is very important during the 2nd trimester of gestation to lead an active lifestyle, eat rationally and weigh yourself regularly.
4. False contractions . They are “training” contractions of the uterus, which can cause discomfort in the lower abdomen. This is a normal phenomenon that should not worry a woman. During such contractions, the cervix does not open, and the unborn child is not in danger. On the contrary, false contractions increase blood circulation in the uterus, and the fetus receives more oxygen and nutrients through the placenta.

In the 2nd trimester of gestation, intense white vaginal discharge may be observed. As a rule, such discharge is not pathological and is caused by increased production of estrogen. To avoid the development of itching and other uncomfortable sensations, you need to use high-quality panty liners. The reason to contact a specialist is yellow, green, bloody discharge or secretion with an unpleasant odor.

Pathological discharge may indicate inflammatory diseases of the genital area. The mucous membrane of the genital tract during pregnancy is subject to hyperemia and loosening. This reduces its resistance to bacteria and increases the risk of developing infections. For example, every fifth pregnant woman develops bacterial vaginosis, which is accompanied by gray discharge, itching in the vaginal area and pain when urinating.

In addition, women during pregnancy are susceptible to the development of inflammatory processes in the urinary system, especially pyelonephritis. The growing uterus puts pressure on the ureters, which can lead to stagnation of urine in the kidneys. A favorable environment is created for the proliferation of bacteria and the development of pyelonephritis. Signs of the disease - sharp pain in the lower back and lower abdomen, blood in the urine, high fever, symptoms of intoxication (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)

Online consultation with a gynecologist

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Online consultation

During the consultation, you will be able to voice your problem, the doctor will clarify the situation, interpret the tests, answer your questions and give the necessary recommendations.

Why does my stomach growl?

Often, rumbling does not pose a threat to the health of the woman and child; it is associated with the physiological characteristics of the body of a pregnant woman. It is important to pay attention to your general health and accompanying symptoms - seek medical help at the first warning signs.

What does a pregnant woman's body look like?

Rumbling can occur under the influence of the following factors:

• eating a large meal;
• parasitic infestation, which releases its metabolic products into the body;
• benign or malignant neoplasms;
• ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and duodenum;
• errors in nutrition;
• gastritis - an inflammatory process that affects the mucous membrane of the stomach, rumbling is localized mainly on the left;
• strict dietary restrictions;
• regular snacks;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• colitis - a pathology of the large intestine, in which the stomach growls mainly at night;
• stressful situations;
• intoxication with toxic substances;
• imbalance of the intestinal microbiome: with dysbacteriosis, the ratio of beneficial, pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora is disturbed, rumbling is disturbing mainly at night;
• eating certain foods that cause bloating: apples, cruciferous vegetables (all types of cabbage, turnips, radishes, horseradish), legumes, including peanuts, grapes, dairy foods.

Can a baby hear in the womb?

Starting from the second half of pregnancy, the baby already reacts to auditory stimuli and responds to them by increasing the heart rate or changing the rhythm of movements. The hearing organ develops rapidly; from the 26th week (and according to some authors, from the 22nd week) the child can already differentiate different sounds. Before birth, hearing plays a leading role in the baby's knowledge of the outside world. The baby’s brain is already working at full speed, and this work initially consists of reacting to auditory stimuli. But the perception of sound information is a complex process and often depends on the position that the child occupies in the uterus. For example, an eight-month-old fetus in a cephalic presentation (in this case, the baby hangs upside down) will have more opportunities to receive information from the outside. At this stage, his middle ear is fully mature for “external” use and actually perceives the sounds of the surrounding world. Another thing is breech presentation: due to the proximity of the fetal hearing organs to the mother’s heart and lungs, the child will, first of all, perceive their rhythm, and not sounds from the outside.

Now the baby hears sound signals from two worlds: external and internal. Do not think that inside the uterus it is quiet, like in a bank safe - the blood running through the arteries is noisy, the heart is beating, the digestive tract is working, and yet the mother is also talking. Starting from the last trimester of pregnancy, the baby can hear the voices of other people, music, and various noises. At the same time, he develops his own preferences: classical music calms him down, rhythmic music makes him want to march a little. This is not surprising, because the harmony of the works of Mozart and Vivaldi is close to the alpha rhythms of the brain. By the way, some scientists believe that an expectant mother, by regularly arranging music therapy sessions for herself, can not only instill in her baby a love of classical melodies for the rest of his life, but also develop an excellent ear for music. Therefore, sit quietly, relax, and tune in to communicate with your child. Place a pillow under your feet, turn on the music and think about pleasant things.

True, the number of sounds reaching the ears of different babies is not the same. This depends on how close the expectant mother’s weight is to ideal (as a rule, excess fat is deposited on the anterior abdominal wall, creating a reliable noise barrier for the baby), as well as on the amount of amniotic fluid (the more there is, the duller the sounds). You can understand what exactly a child hears by doing a simple experiment at home. After diving headfirst into a filled bathtub, ask someone to say a few words directly into the water. Now you know how the baby perceives the world of external sounds.

Diagnostics

To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor conducts an oral interview, as well as a face-to-face examination of the pregnant woman, and prescribes additional studies:

• general blood analysis;
• blood chemistry;
• general urine analysis;
• coprogram;
• ultrasonography;
• fibrogastroduodenoscopy - for examining the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, identifying changes in the mucous membrane, as well as gastritis, ulcerative lesions;
• Colonoscopy is an endoscopic examination that involves inserting a thin tube into the rectum to examine various parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

Comprehensive diagnostics allows us to exclude inflammatory processes, ulcerative lesions, and neoplasms.

Treatment

If rumbling is a natural physiological reaction, not associated with accompanying pathological processes, correction of lifestyle and diet is sufficient. In other cases, the doctor individually selects medications, elements of physical therapy, and gives additional recommendations. Only an integrated approach will help ease the well-being of a pregnant woman: proper nutrition, symptomatic care, physical activity, daily walks in the fresh air, restoration of the psycho-emotional state.

Important!

Following a diet can reduce unpleasant symptoms and improve the physical and psycho-emotional state of a pregnant woman.

Video: Intestinal problems in pregnant women

Drug therapy

When selecting medications, the root cause of the disorder and accompanying manifestations are taken into account. To make you feel better, your doctor may recommend symptomatic therapy. During pregnancy, you can only use safe medications that have undergone appropriate research. The following groups of medications may be recommended:

1. Antispasmodics: Drotaverine, No-Shpa.
2. Sorbents: Smecta, Enterosgel, Activated carbon are recommended.
3. Drugs with a carminative effect against flatulence: Espumisan.
4. Enzyme medications.
5. Probiotics.
6. Choleretic agents with mild action.
7. As a supplement, doctors often prescribe herbal sedatives based on valerian and motherwort.

Note!

If medications are ineffective and the symptoms of the disorder worsen, you should inform your doctor. Dosage adjustments or medication changes may be required.

A pregnant woman is contraindicated to self-medicate. Medicines are selected individually, taking into account the duration of pregnancy and general well-being. Traditional medicine can be used as a supplement to medications and diet, with prior agreement with your doctor.

Video: How to relieve gas during pregnancy

Baby feels taste in mom's belly

Yes, compared to mom and dad, the baby is now a real gourmet. The fact is that between the fifth and seventh month, a child has significantly more special cells in his mouth that perceive the finest taste nuances than an adult. After birth, their number will decrease sharply. To explain this reverse process, scientists proposed an original hypothesis - perhaps in the future a person will not need a rich range of taste sensations at all and the taste buds in the mouth will simply... disappear. Fortunately, this is still a long way off. Of course, being in the mother’s belly, the baby himself does not eat anything - his nutrition is carried out through the umbilical cord and rests entirely “on the mother’s shoulders.” However, the child actively tastes the amniotic fluid that surrounds him, starting from the 12th week of life. But the baby not only drinks, but also... pees. The presence of urea is also detected in the amniotic fluid. Such test sips and secretions are needed to train the child’s lungs and kidneys. Amniotic fluid also contains many different substances, including salt and sugar. The baby likes the latter better. How did you find out about this? After conducting an original (and absolutely harmless for both mother and child) experiment: amniotic fluid was artificially saturated with weak solutions of salt and sugar. At the same time, the baby was reluctant to try the salty water, but the sweet water simply delighted him. By the way, expectant mothers, do not forget that the aromas of some foods (spices, garlic, asparagus) also penetrate into the amniotic fluid and may well affect the baby’s taste preferences after birth.

Prevention

To prevent rumbling in the stomach, it is recommended to adhere to the basic principles of a healthy diet, avoid the use of spicy seasonings and simple carbohydrates. fried, heavy foods, chips, crackers, carbonated water. Food should be varied, nutritious, without dyes, preservatives and harmful chemicals. You need to chew food thoroughly, refrain from emotional conversations and watching gadgets or TV while eating.

Doctors also advise following these recommendations:

1. Eliminate from your diet foods that are difficult to digest: fresh baked goods, cabbage, legumes, dairy products.
2. Avoid drinking highly carbonated and alcoholic drinks.
3. Drink tea based on the fruits of anise, fennel and mint leaves, chamomile, ginger after meals.
4. Use enzyme and choleretic medications as prescribed by your doctor.
5. Take your last meal 3 hours before bedtime.
6. Enrich your diet with whole grain cereals and flour.
7. Give preference to moderate physical activity: walk at least 10,000 steps in the fresh air every day, do yoga for pregnant women, and breathing practices.

Doctors do not recommend immediately going to bed to rest after a hearty breakfast or lunch; it is better to move around a little. At the first symptoms of a disorder, it is recommended to stop self-medicating and consult a doctor. The earlier therapy begins, the better the prognosis.

What to do in such a situation?

If your stomach occasionally gurgles or actively bubbles due to overeating, it is important to adjust your diet, eat little and often. You will have to exclude onions, legumes, whole milk, sweets based on sugar substitutes, and carbonated drinks. Avoid mixing proteins and carbohydrates in the same serving.

When other unpleasant symptoms are added, you should consult a therapist, gynecologist, or gastroenterologist. After identifying the causes of discomfort, treatment will be prescribed, taking into account the delicate position of the expectant mother.