Can pregnancy make IBS-C worse?

Pregnancy can bring major changes to digestion and bowel habits. But if you’re already living with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C), bloating, abdominal discomfort, or chronic constipation, it can be difficult to know what’s related to pregnancy—and what may be related to your digestive condition.

In this episode of the Gastro Girl Health Podcast, Dr. Lin Chang, Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a leading expert in disorders of gut-brain interaction and women’s digestive health, explains what patients should know about IBS-C and constipation during pregnancy.

You’ll learn:

- How pregnancy-related constipation differs from IBS-C
- Why IBS symptoms may change during pregnancy
- What may contribute to increased bloating and constipation
- Diet and lifestyle strategies to discuss with your healthcare provider
- What to know about the low-FODMAP diet during pregnancy
- Treatment and medication considerations
- Symptoms that shouldn’t automatically be attributed to IBS or pregnancy

If you’re pregnant—or planning a pregnancy—and live with IBS-C or chronic constipation, this conversation can help you better understand your symptoms and prepare for conversations with your healthcare team.

This patient education episode was produced by Gastro Girl in collaboration with the American College of Gastroenterology Patient Care Committee.

#IBSC #Pregnancy #Constipation #IBS #Bloating #DigestiveHealth