| Authors |
Sabonytė-Balšaitienė, Živilė ; Poškus, Tomas ; Jasiūnas, Eugenijus ; Ramašauskaitė, Diana ; Bužinskienė, Diana ; Drąsutienė, Gražina Stanislava ; Okulevičiūtė, Agnė ; Zakarevičienė, Jolita |
| Abstract [eng] |
BACKGROUND: Constipation is frequently encountered in the population of pregnant women. Physical activity and nutritional factors are considered common causes of constipation; however, their impact on this population has not yet been evaluated precisely. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of constipation and its risk factors during pregnancy and postpartum. METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted in 3 hospitals in Lithuania, including women with early viable pregnancies using questionnaires on demographic, obstetric, nutrition, behaviour, peri-anal disease, and birth data. All women with an early viable pregnancy (<12 weeks' gestation) aged 18 - 45 years who gave written informed consent were included. The Rome III criteria defined constipation. Independent risk factors were identified using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: In all, 263 (55.9%) women developed constipation. Multivariate analysis identified haemorrhoidal disease during pregnancy (OR 8.25, 95% CI 4.41-15.4, p < 0.001), inadequate physical activity (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.03-2.69, p=0.038), not participating in sports (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.24-3.17, p=0.004), and monthly income 300-500 euros (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.22-3.19, p=0.006) as significant predictors of constipation during pregnancy. Lower education was defined as a protective factor (retrospectively, secondary education by 2.2 times (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.22-0.89, p=0.022) and unfinished secondary - by 1.84 times (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.05-0.90, p=0.036) reduced the possibility of constipation development). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, haemorrhoidal disease during pregnancy, low physical activity, and low monthly income are independent risk factors for constipation during pregnancy. Lower education significantly reduces the incidence of this condition. |
