Digestive health tips. Problems of the digestive system. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Symptoms and causes of gas in the digestive tract. Eating, diet, and nutrition for gas in the digestive tract. Join now to personalize.
Why do I have so much more gas during pregnancy? What causes gas? Can I relieve gas by changing my diet? What else can I do to relieve gas and bloating during pregnancy? Can gas during pregnancy ever be a sign that something is wrong?
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Featured video. Constipation during pregnancy: How to get relief. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.
Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Gas and bloating are common discomforts of pregnancy. These digestion-related symptoms, which can range from mildly uncomfortable to downright painful, are caused by a variety of factors, including hormones and diet.
The uptick in bloating and gas including farting and belching can come and go but can be an annoyance throughout pregnancy.
Everyone gets and passes gas. Your body makes gas as the natural bacteria in your stomach and intestines break down the food that you eat during digestion. You also bring air into your body by swallowing it when you eat, drink, laugh, breathe, and talk. Sometimes gas can lead to bloating, which is when your stomach swells and feels full after eating or from the buildup of gas.
This bloated feeling can be mild or quite unpleasant. It can also make your abdomen temporarily increase in size. An increase in gas and bloating during pregnancy can be triggered by a variety of causes, including changing hormone levels and the foods you eat.
During pregnancy, there is more of the hormone progesterone in your body. Extra progesterone is a key reason why you might experience more gas and bloating when you are pregnant. One of the things progesterone does in your body is to relax the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract. When these muscles are relaxed, it can cause food to move more slowly through your digestive system. As digestion slows, more gas builds up in your intestines. The gas helps your body make optimal use of the food you eat, but it also makes for more burping, passing wind, and bloating.
It may be a little uncomfortable, but the slow movement of food through your intestines allows your body to absorb more nutrients for you and your growing baby. The foods you eat and beverages you drink also affect gas production. Foods that are known to increase gas include spicy foods, fried foods, processed foods, greasy foods, dairy, whole grains, carbonated drinks, and many fruits and vegetables.
Many gas-producing foods are very healthy, such as beans, broccoli, and bran. You can start by eliminating the less nutritious gas-producing foods such as onion rings, potato chips, and sodas before reducing your intake of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains. However, keep in mind that changing your diet too quickly can also cause gas. If you want to make some adjustments, take it slow. If you suddenly begin eating a diet that's high in fiber and full of healthy fruits and vegetables, your body will not have time to adjust.
It's likely that you will actually produce more gas for a while. Moving to a healthier diet is highly recommended for anyone but especially if you are trying to get pregnant or are pregnant. Just try to do it gradually to avoid the symptoms of gas that can come along with the changes. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort, consider limiting these foods to reduce bloating and gas:.
Gas can also build up if you eat large meals, consume a lot of gassy foods, eat too quickly, or do not chew your food well. If you swallow hastily, it usually means you are gulping in excess air as you eat, which creates more gas in your belly.
Talking while you are chewing also contributes to added gas. As your uterus grows , it puts pressure on your intestines. The squeezing of your digestive system can slow it down. The constriction can also make it harder to control the release of gas, which can mean you pass wind unexpectedly or more often. Having trouble moving your bowels , also known as constipation, can also cause bloating and pain.
The stool sitting in your intestines makes it more difficult for the gas to pass through and exit the body. Prenatal vitamins help ensure that you and your baby are getting all and enough of the vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy pregnancy.
That said, some vitamins and minerals especially iron supplements contribute to constipation, which in turn can cause gas. When you're nervous, you may breathe more quickly and take in more air, which can lead to gas. Anxiety during pregnancy or any time can also cause gastrointestinal symptoms. The hormones progesterone and estrogen increase significantly to thicken the uterine lining to prepare for the growing fetus.
They work as follows:. During the second and third trimesters, symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue fade, and the uterus shifts its position to accommodate the growing fetus. As the uterus expands, it puts pressure on the surrounding organs, causing digestive issues, such as constipation and excess gas. This can cause uncomfortable bloating and gas. Although the changes brought on by pregnancy can cause uncomfortable symptoms, these changes are necessary for the growing fetus.
Lifestyle changes can help reduce excess gas and lessen some of the more uncomfortable symptoms that accompany excess gas. In the later stages of their pregnancies, women may want to consider eating several small meals throughout the day. Drinking water can also help improve digestion and prevent muscle cramps.
Women may relieve their gas pain and bloating by avoiding these foods and drinks. Everyone responds to foods differently, so keeping a food journal is a good way of figuring out exactly which foods cause digestive issues. Excess gas can cause a sharp, stabbing pain in the abdomen, back, and chest. However, abdominal pain is a common symptom of other medical conditions.
Being aware of other conditions that might cause these symptoms can help a person decide whether or not they need to see their doctor for abdominal pain. Constipation is very common symptom during pregnancy. One study reports that 13 percent of its 1, participants experienced had functional constipation during pregnancy. For some, gas is the bloating feeling that is sometimes called indigestion. However, for most, it is the passing of gas.
Gas looks to escape the body; sometimes this is through flatulence, whereas other times it may be through belching or burping. The buildup of gas happens whether you are pregnant or not. However, you may discover more challenges with gas once you discover you are pregnant.
One of the key contributing factors to experiencing more gas during pregnancy is the increased levels of progesterone. Progesterone is a hormone that causes the muscles throughout your body to relax. Subsequently, your intestinal muscles relax more, which causes your digestion to slow down. This allows gas to build up easier and creates bloating, burping and of course flatulence. Gas during pregnancy can also increase later in pregnancy when the enlarging uterus places pressure on your abdominal cavity.
This pressure can also slow digestion allowing gas to build up. Unfortunately, the progesterone-induced muscle relaxation makes it harder to control the release of gas. Just laugh it off and blame it on the baby. It is pretty much impossible to prevent gas during pregnancy. However, there are steps you can take to manage the gas you experience.
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