When youre trying to conceive, its understandable to hope that sudden bodily changes indicate that its finally happened.
You may wonder, Is diarrhea a symptom of pregnancy?
If youre now hitting up the bathroomallthe time.
Diarrhea isn’t necessarily a symptom of pregnancy.
The answer isnt so straightforward.
But your bathroom habits may clue you into the state of your G.I.
Diarrhea is basically poop hell.
National Library of Medicine(NLM).
It usually lasts just a day or two, which is called acute diarrhea.
Ever wonder whats actually going on in your body to make your butt expel its contents so violently?
Is diarrhea a symptom of early pregnancy?
The answer is going to take a sec, so pull up a seat.
Thats largely thanks to a hormone that helps prep your body for pregnancy called progesterone.
Progesterone levels increase after ovulation, anticipating that the egg your ovaries just released will be fertilized, theNLMexplains.
If you dont become pregnant, progesterone levels fall back down, and you get yourperiod.
How does this early pregnancy progesterone surge affect poop?
Progesterone helps relax the smooth muscles, like your uterus and intestines.
In fact, without your G.I.
In other words, high levels of progesterone result inconstipation, i.e., the exact opposite of diarrhea.
Total caveat alert: Some people have the opposite reaction.
For instance, maybe you are lactose intolerant but cant get enough cheese.
Of course, diarrhea can happen for other reasons completely unrelated to growing a baby.
Basically, youre going to see what you want to see.
At the end of the day, no single symptom is a foolproof sign that youre pregnant.
Does morning sickness cause diarrhea?
Bottom line: There isnt a particular pregnancy stage that causes diarrhea.
That is iffy, Dr. Greves says.
Morning sickness, which consists of nausea and vomiting, usually starts within six weeks of gestation.
Generally, it goes away by 20 weeks of pregnancy5.
However, it can last longer and even stretch through a persons entire pregnancy.
I really havent seen diarrhea as a sign of morning sickness, Dr. Greves says.
Are stomach pain and cramps normal in early pregnancy?
Abdominal pain and discomfort can occur throughout pregnancy, according to theCleveland Clinic.
As your uterus grows, you may experience sharp, shooting pains on either side of the stomach.
The uterus and round ligaments stretch as the fetus grows in the womb6.
Thepain and crampingmay be particularly prevalent when a person coughs, laughs, or sneezes.
What are other early signs of pregnancy?
Every person and every pregnancy is different, Dr. Greves says.
But if youve been chained to the toilet for two or more days, its time toconsult your doctor.
Most of the time, it will just clear up, Dr. Greves says.
Thats why Dr. Greves recommends making some lifestyle tweaks first to see if they help.
Theyll likely want to test you to see whats going on andmost importantlyto help you feel better ASAP.
