Dark stool during late pregnancy

Reorganization of the body

From the moment of conception, processes begin in a woman’s body aimed at the development of the fetus.
A pregnant woman feels a deterioration in her health and observes problems with the gastrointestinal tract. In the first months of pregnancy, existing diseases of the digestive system may worsen or new diseases may arise. This may result in changes in the consistency and color of stool. Much depends on the nutrition of a pregnant woman. Eating fried, salted, smoked foods can lead to a number of complications in the functioning of the stomach and pancreas.

Dark stool during early pregnancy also occurs due to hormonal changes. A woman's body produces large amounts of the hormone progesterone, which affects all organs, causing them to function differently. Therefore, dark stool during pregnancy does not always indicate illness. In many cases, this change is normal and does not require medical intervention.

In addition to darkening of the stool, a woman’s frequency of urination, pulse, blood pressure, hemoglobin level and even psychological state change.

Changes in the first trimester

After conception, a woman’s body begins to actively restructure: changes occur at the hormonal level under the influence of progesterone, which causes a malfunction in the functioning of all organs and systems.

For this reason, the activity of the gastrointestinal tract may be disrupted, which is reflected in changes in the color of stool and the structure of feces. If nothing else bothers a woman, and her general well-being does not change, then dark-colored stool is the norm.

Black stool during pregnancy: causes of dark stool in a pregnant woman

During the period of gestation, the female body adapts to a new position. Pregnancy affects all the mother's vital organs. The fruit develops gradually, going through different stages. At the beginning, the process of organogenesis occurs. This period occupies the first trimester. During the second and third trimesters, the tissues and organs of the unborn child continue to grow.

For stable functioning in the womb, the fetus needs normal blood supply and nutrients provided by the placenta. A woman in the phase of placenta formation is capable of experiencing a number of problems - from toxicosis to miscarriage.

Dysfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract come first, leading to unpleasant symptoms that pregnant women describe during diagnosis:

• complete lack of appetite;
• nausea;
• frequent vomiting;
• constipation;
• diarrhea;
• aching joints;
• increased body temperature;
• dizziness.

This is usually accompanied by variability in the character and color of stool.
Such changes can be caused by the degree of concentration of hormones in the blood, which gradually returns to normal without requiring any action. Table No. 1 shows the possible types of feces in an adult. Table No. 1. Possible types of feces in adults

The reasons for the change in the color of stool to black during pregnancy can be different. Conventionally, experts divide them into those that represent an acceptable norm and those that require immediate diagnosis. A pregnant woman needs to differentiate the condition of her stool, without succumbing to unnecessary panic when the color of the stool changes.

The safest cause of black stool is the consumption of certain foods that give this color after digestion. Some foods give black color to stool due to incomplete digestion in the stomach and small intestine, as well as insufficient conjugation in the liver. We are talking about the following:

• plum;
• currant;
• pomegranate;
• chokeberry;
• blueberry;
• prunes;
• beet;
• tomatoes;
• animal liver;
• blood sausage;
• coffee;
• colored carbonated drinks.

Very often, darkening of stool is normal and occurs as a result of hormonal activity of the body. Also, dark-colored stool during pregnancy occurs due to taking certain medications or synthetic vitamins. Manufacturers of drugs always indicate in the instructions the effect of the components on organs of different systems.

Sometimes pregnant women can drink activated charcoal during indigestion. This natural sorbent is approved for pregnant women, but under its influence a change in the color of the stool may be observed. In this case, there is no reason to worry.

Dark stool is also observed during pregnancy if a woman has eaten foods containing dark pigments. Organic dyes are not absorbed by the body and are released along with feces, giving it a dark color.

If, apart from changes in stool, no other disturbances are noticed and the pregnant woman’s health is normal, there is no need to panic. Doctors recommend that such women monitor their health for several days. If the color of the stool does not change during this time, you should visit a doctor.

Dark stool during pregnancy can be a result of eating the following foods:

1. Black berries (blueberries, currants).
2. Some fruits (blue grapes, pomegranate).
3. Prunes.
4. Dark-colored vegetables (beets, tomatoes).
5. Offal (blood, liver).
6. Drinks (red wine, dark grape juices, coffee).

If a pregnant woman consumed any of the listed foods the day before, she is most likely healthy. The darkening of the stool occurred under the influence of coloring pigments, which the body removed along with digested food.

Pregnancy is an amazing state for every woman, when a new life is born. A woman is transformed, her body is also rebuilt, preparing for the birth of a healthy baby. Unfortunately, sometimes unexpected problems arise. Black feces during pregnancy can greatly frighten the expectant mother.

Should I be alarmed if my bowel movements change? Violations of the functions of the digestive system are observed most often. For example, changes in the regularity of stool, its consistency, black or other shades of stool appear with an admixture of undigested particles. You shouldn’t worry ahead of time, you need to figure everything out.

A pregnant woman’s body works for two people, and this is not so easy; it is not always possible to cope on your own. The increased load on the liver will disrupt its normal function, which can be reflected in deviations in laboratory blood parameters; feces also begin to change in a number of indicators.

Feces during pregnancy can change due to poor nutrition, hypovitaminosis and, mainly, due to hormonal changes. With pregnancy, the amount of progesterone synthesized in the body, which is necessary for normal growth and development of the fetus, increases significantly. However, progesterone contributes to the metabolic processes of the mother's body.

Already in the first trimester, under the influence of progesterone, peristalsis decreases and the movement of feces through the intestines slows down. As a result, the smell (pungent, unpleasant), consistency (from mushy to hard), and color of stool (dark-colored stool) may change.

If you are in good general condition, there is nothing to worry about in this situation. Loose stools during pregnancy also appear as a result of the unpredictable influence of hormonal levels. Most often, diarrhea is accompanied by symptoms of toxicosis (nausea, frequent vomiting). Usually by the beginning of the second trimester the condition returns to normal.

In the second trimester, the formation of the organs and systems of the future baby occurs, so it is very important to create all the conditions for him during this period.

Therefore, color transformation in the second trimester during bowel movements is not a reason to discontinue prescribed medications.

Dark stools during pregnancy may also appear when taking other medications, such as activated charcoal, bismuth preparations, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Such phenomena can occur both early and later. In such cases during pregnancy, black stool is normal, no need to panic.

The black-green color of stool indicates the death of beneficial microorganisms in the small intestine and, consequently, dysbacteriosis. The reason for this may be taking specific medications or eating disorders. However, if other symptoms are present, poisoning and infectious and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should be excluded.

Nutritional factor

It is important not to forget what food you ate the day before. Some products contain dark pigment:

• blueberries, currants, blackberries, prunes,
• beets, tomatoes,
• liver, offal.

As a result of the processing of these pigments, black stool is formed.

The greenish color of stool during pregnancy indicates excessive consumption of fiber containing green pigment (broccoli, spinach, lettuce, fruits); such diets are often accompanied by an insufficient amount of protein in the diet.

In rare cases, green bowel movements appear when taking a complex of vitamins and minerals. Similar symptoms can occur with intestinal infections.

These conditions can be differentiated by examining stool for intestinal infections.

But you shouldn’t give up rational alertness. An established diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease, concomitant weakness, pallor, cold, sticky sweat and even abdominal pain should increase vigilance. If at the same time the stool is dark in color and has a mushy consistency, then there may be gastrointestinal bleeding.

It is necessary to take a general blood test as early as possible to monitor the level of hemoglobin and red blood cells, a biochemical blood test to monitor possible organ damage, feces for coprogram and feces for occult blood to clarify the disease.

You should also consult a doctor who can prescribe an FGDS, make a final diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Black feces during pregnancy can appear during exacerbation of chronic diseases.

In this case, if the stool darkens, it is necessary to undergo a stool test for an extended coprogram, which includes chemical, macroscopic and immunochemical examination.

You should also consult your doctor.

It would seem that with the birth of a small miracle, all adversity should pass, but why do the conditions described above persist after childbirth? It’s simple: the body has adapted for a long time to the developing child, so recovery also takes time. After childbirth, stool returns to normal within a month, but dark-colored bowel movements may persist longer if the woman continues to take iron supplements or multivitamins.

Prevention

In most cases, an isolated change in stool consistency or color during pregnancy is not dangerous and can be corrected by following a balanced diet with mandatory product quality control.

Nutrition should be balanced, with sufficient amounts of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Taking medications should be under the supervision of a doctor, and in the case of correction of anemia, it is necessary to monitor the indicators of red blood cells (in a general blood test). When identifying dark stool during pregnancy, the main thing is to correctly determine the reason for the change in normal stool.

Possible diseases

Pay attention to the general condition of the pregnant woman. How have you been feeling over the past few days? What has she been sick with in the past? If a pregnant woman feels normal, then most likely the change in stool color is associated with food or taking vitamins.

If the expectant mother feels unwell, has a stomach ache, constantly suffers from heartburn or nausea, periodically experiences constipation and vomiting, has bloating and anemia, then we are talking about a disease.

Most often this is due to a sharp exacerbation of hepatitis, cirrhosis, ulcers or other previously suffered disease. It is imperative to call an ambulance if:

• vomiting appeared;
• body temperature increased;
• the woman previously suffered from a stomach ulcer;
• the stool became liquid;
• with persistent anemia.

Sometimes the stool is not homogeneous, but has undigested inclusions of black food. If we are talking about berry seeds or fruit peels, then there is no reason to worry. If a woman’s adult body is unable to cope with regular food, we are talking about an upset stomach and intestines.

Very often we are not talking about stool pigmentation, but about parasites that color it. If a pregnant woman has black worms in her stool, she should see a doctor and be tested for the presence of worms.

If a pregnant woman has black, loose stools, then we are talking about bleeding inside the intestines. You definitely need to see a doctor. In the stomach and intestines, the blood is decomposed by digestive enzymes and bacteria, which changes its color from red to black.

A similar phenomenon may be a consequence of polyps in the intestines or enlarged veins in the esophagus. Under such conditions, the disease will be accompanied by the following symptoms:

• weakness or loss of consciousness;
• pale skin;
• loss of appetite and dizziness;
• low blood pressure and anemia.

Possible complications

Black stool may indicate serious complications in the body of a pregnant woman. The following pathologies cannot be excluded:

• intestinal bleeding;
• increase in anemia;
• perforation of the intestinal walls;
• penetration of infection into the abdominal cavity;
• sepsis;
• embryo infection;
• “freezing” of the fetus;
• premature birth.

When black feces during pregnancy are a manifestation of an intestinal infection, then we can assume complications from the organs of the digestive system, as well as the course of embryonic development in general.

If discomfort is ignored, polyps, erosions, and ruptures of the esophageal mucosa may develop in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract with severe vomiting.

Diagnostic methods

It is very important to diagnose internal bleeding in a timely manner. The doctor immediately collects a complete history of the pregnant woman and conducts research on the development of such a dangerous condition as gestosis. The characteristics of stool and the general condition of the patient are also analyzed.

If there are complaints about black feces and its liquid consistency, the appearance of nausea, heartburn, vomiting, or abdominal pain, they find out the woman’s diet and the use of pharmacological agents that could have such an impact on the functioning of the digestive system.

Laboratory tests are mandatory:

• general blood analysis;
• general urine analysis;
• blood chemistry;
• polymerase chain reaction;
• analysis of stool.

The polymerase chain reaction detects the DNA of bacteria or viruses that have settled in the intestinal cavity. This analysis is most informative for prolonged diarrhea caused by various pathogenic infections.

Since pregnant women undergo monthly blood and urine tests, special attention should be paid to coprogram. Bacterial indicators of stool will help identify the cause of black color without requiring additional diagnostic methods. Examination of stool for the Gregersen reaction will put an end to the suspicion of the presence of occult blood.

Instrumental diagnostic methods for the appearance of black feces are as follows:

• ultrasound examination of the woman’s intestines and the embryo;
• esophagogastroduodenoscopy;
• breath test H.

Each of the listed methods has its own priorities and disadvantages. For example, over a long period of time it is impossible to visualize a woman’s intestines in detail.

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy allows you to determine the area where bleeding occurs and carry out coagulation of the affected vessel. Depending on the course of pregnancy, the doctor decides to conduct a study.

The H. Pylori breath test helps determine the activity of the Helicobacter pylori bacterium in the stomach, which is often the cause of severe irritation and subsequent inflammation of the gastric mucosa and digestive organs of the lower digestive system.

Differential diagnosis of black feces is carried out taking into account food intoxication, intestinal infections, exacerbation of hemorrhoids and the use of various medicinal and biologically active drugs containing microelements that give an uncharacteristic color.

Effect of medications

Often women experience changes in stool after taking medications. Darkening of stool can be caused by the following medications:

1. Iron preparations (“Ferrum-Lek”, “Sorbifer”, “Tardiferon”).
2. Multivitamins that contain iron (Elevit, Vitrum).
3. Sorbents (activated carbon).
4. Preparations containing bismuth (“De-Nol”).
5. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Aspirin).

Most women experience a decrease in hemoglobin during pregnancy. Therefore, doctors prescribe medications to provide the body with the necessary amount of iron. Taking such medications is the most common cause of black stool.

Before prescribing an iron supplement, the therapist should talk about possible changes in stool so that the woman reacts calmly to dark stool.

Treatment of black stools in pregnant women

Therapeutic measures for the appearance of black feces are necessary only in cases of the development of pathologies for which the black color of the feces leaving the body is a symptom.

Several types of agents are used in treatment:

• pharmacological drugs;
• traditional methods;
• homeopathic medicines;
• adjusting the diet;
• physiotherapy.

In any case, pregnant women will have to avoid excessive stress, however, performing gentle exercises will be very useful.

The main method will be diet. Adjusting the diet includes the following restrictions and recommendations:

• Eat food warm. Too hot and too cold food is an additional burden on the digestive organs.
• The calorie content of dishes must be kept to a minimum. You should exclude foods saturated with fats and add dietary fiber. This will stimulate intestinal motility.
• Limit the consumption of sour, salty, smoked, flour, sweet, fried foods as much as possible. Butter baked goods often lead to the formation of adhesions in the intestines.
• Introduce enveloping porridges into the diet that are not capable of irritating the mucous membrane of the digestive tract.
• Limit your consumption of legumes. Eat animal proteins in the form of boiled lean meat.
• Avoid factory-produced juices with high levels of glucose, additional preservatives and colorings. They can cause additional fermentation and watery diarrhea.
• Fruits and vegetables should be consumed steamed or boiled, eliminating additional stress on digestion.

After confirming the presence of an intestinal infection of bacterial origin, which is often the cause of black stool in pregnant women, complex therapy is carried out. The doctor prescribes an acceptable antibiotic, probiotics, symbiotics and sorbents. Prolonged stool disorder leads to disruption of the water-salt balance, so it is necessary to replenish lost fluid in the body.

Enterocolitis with blood discharge into the intestinal cavity is treated with intestinal antiseptics of the nitrofuran series. To restore the intestinal mucosa, it is recommended to take lactobacilli to populate it with “useful” microflora. Antibacterial therapy is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor over the condition of the mother’s body and embryo.

Black feces of liquid consistency are usually accompanied by a disruption of the excretory functions of the intestinal walls and the accumulation of large volumes of toxins and breakdown products. Thus, taking sorbents will allow the “slagged” intestines to free themselves and restore the microflora necessary for normal digestion.

Of the probiotics, symbiotics and painkillers, the following are safe for pregnant women:

• "Linex". Available in capsules. The composition includes lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria. The drug helps stabilize the intestinal microflora and also has an antidiarrheal effect. "Linex" has no side effects on the body of the mother and embryo.
• "Bifidumbacterin". Available in the form of powder, rectal suppositories and tablets. The composition includes several types of microorganisms, which significantly increases the effectiveness of the drug. No side effects on the body of the mother and baby were identified.
• "Floristin" Available in the form of a suspension. Use half an hour before meals. Normalizes the digestion process and restores the balance of beneficial microorganisms in the intestinal environment. Indicated for pregnant women and children.
• "No-Shpa." Available in tablets and ampoules. No pronounced effect on the embryo is observed, since the placental barrier prevents the penetration of “aggressive” components to the fetus.

Article on the topic: Is No-shpu® possible during pregnancy?

Physiotherapeutic procedures for ulcerative pathologies are carried out only in the remission stage, since in the acute stage the ulcer can provoke serious complications.

Surgical interventions for black stool in pregnant women are not used. Radical surgery is used only in cases where severe complications occur.

A good effect can be achieved by enemas with sea buckthorn oil, which will promote rapid healing of the affected areas of the mucosa.

Decoctions of chamomile, sage, yarrow, and sophora flowers will have a soothing and restorative effect on irritated mucous membranes of the digestive system. Of course, the use of enemas and herbal teas by pregnant women must be coordinated with the gynecologist observing the gestation.

What to do if the color of the stool has changed?

Correction of changes in the shade of stool involves the use of traditional and traditional medicine, homeopathy. Rest, lack of physical activity, and a diet based on easily digestible foods are required.

Nutrition should be structured according to this scheme:

• absence of sour, smoked, salty dishes;
• The preferred heat treatment is cooking;
• menu based on low-calorie products - for example, boiled potatoes, semolina and buckwheat porridge, yogurt 1.5%;
• refusal of baked goods, wheat bread, sweets;
• drinks – weak tea, clean water;
• absence of legumes, protein should be obtained from steamed fish and chicken.

If an intestinal infection is confirmed, which is usually characterized by green stools, immediate treatment is required. It is based on antibacterial drugs, sorbents and probiotics to restore intestinal microflora. Medicines are selected taking into account the course of pregnancy; they should not affect the development of the fetus.

Therapy is carried out under the supervision of a doctor. Approximate treatment program:

• Antibiotic Cephelim. The drug is administered intramuscularly, the course is 1 week. Side effects for the expectant mother include headache, allergies, and digestive dysfunction.
• Smecta sorbent. The contents of the sachets are dissolved in water and taken for 5-7 days. The drug is not prescribed for intestinal obstruction and individual intolerance.
• Probiotic Linex. Restores intestinal microflora. Reception is indicated in capsules, duration – 3-7 days.

Treatment of black stool with traditional methods must be approved by a doctor. An infusion of chamomile flowers (3 tablespoons of raw material per liter of water) helps to improve digestion. You can drink it instead of tea three times a day, 100 ml, sweetened with honey. Sage is used for the same purpose. From homeopathy, for intestinal inflammation, Viburkol rectal suppositories and Nux vomica-Gomaccord drops are used.

Alarm Signals

Sometimes black stool can be a symptom of an illness. It may indicate bleeding in the digestive system. Pregnant women who have previously had a stomach or duodenal ulcer are at risk. In such women, dark stool during pregnancy may indicate internal bleeding caused by an open ulcer. But in this case, not only the color, but also the consistency of the stool changes.

Other symptoms of possible health problems:

• deterioration of health;
• pallor;
• cold sweat.

If, in addition to darkening of the stool, a woman experiences the listed symptoms, she should seek medical help.

When to Seek Medical Help

Sometimes a change in the color of stool can be a symptom of a disease. Women should be especially concerned if they previously had a duodenal ulcer or stomach ulcer. In this case, black stool is a cause for concern.

If the ulcer has opened, the black color of the stool may indicate internal bleeding. In this situation, the structure of the stool changes: it becomes liquid. In addition, the pregnant woman experiences other symptoms:

• weakness,
• pallor,
• cold and clammy sweat.

If such symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor. There is no need to rush to make a diagnosis, much less self-medicate. Of course, in the vast majority of cases, black stool is normal.

Moreover, if you are taking a multivitamin complex of drugs, then this phenomenon indicates the high quality of vitamins for pregnant women. Only expensive drugs can cause stool coloration: this is proof that the body is well saturated with vitamins. Unfortunately, a pregnant woman does not always know about such a piquant feature of the body, so she worries.

It is not always worth sounding the alarm if the feces turn black. But the following symptoms should alert a woman and become a reason to consult a doctor:

• sudden vomiting;
• dizziness;
• fainting;
• a sharp increase in temperature that is not controlled by antipyretics;
• blood pressure surges;
• numbness of arms and legs.

Useful tips for future parents

If you notice black stool, you should not sound the alarm prematurely. In the absence of unpleasant sensations, it is enough to adjust your diet by excluding from it foods and pharmacological drugs that can cause darkening of the stool. Over time, you may notice that the color of the stool gradually stabilizes.

On the eve of childbirth, at the end of the third trimester, a woman’s body is rebuilt, mobilizing for labor. The uterus in this period is already maximally enlarged in size, exerting strong pressure on the bladder, esophagus, inferior vena cava, liver, and intestines. Because of this, some portions of food cannot be fully digested.

Black feces in the later stages of embryonic development are rarely a sign of any dangerous pathology in a woman or her fetus. Most often this is caused by changes in diet. Without observing additional alarming symptoms, a pregnant woman should relax and concentrate on preparing for childbirth.

In order to prevent intestinal infections, pregnant women should avoid contact with infectious patients and also observe the necessary hygiene measures. We are talking about washing your hands after visiting public places and the toilet. Fruits and vegetables should also be washed with running water before eating them or preparing dishes from them. Do not consume tap water that has not passed the boiling stage.

Having chronic problems with the organs of the digestive system, when planning a pregnancy, you will have to include them in the list of diseases that need to be cured before conception.

When is therapy needed?

Treatment of black feces in the early stages and in late stages that have changed color as a result of physiological processes is not required. In this case, it is enough to exclude provoking factors.

If the stool turns black, and the doctor confirms the presence of pathology, appropriate therapy is prescribed based on the cause of the symptom.

If the cause of darkening of feces is a bacterial intestinal infection, complex treatment is prescribed using antibacterial, sorbent agents and probiotics. With severe vomiting and diarrhea, it is important to regulate the drinking regime, because along with vomit and feces, the body loses fluid.

Among antibiotics, preference is given to drugs that have a gentle effect on the woman’s body and the development of the fetus. Intestinal antiseptics from the nitrofuran group and fluoroquinolones are prescribed.

Of the probiotics, Linex with lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria is most often prescribed. The medicine has no significant side effects.

To eliminate spasms and pain symptoms, Drotaverine or No-shpu is prescribed. The antispasmodic agent does not have a pronounced negative effect on the fetus, because its components are not able to penetrate the hematoplacental barrier.

Traditional medicine helps alleviate the symptoms of the underlying disease, which occurs with stool disturbances and darkening of the stool. However, such drugs are not used as monotherapy.

Treatment should be comprehensive and only as prescribed by a doctor.

The following folk remedies will help normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract:

• prunes and beets: ingredients in a volume of 100 g, after drying, mix with the same amount of oatmeal, add 2 liters of water, simmer over low heat for 1 hour, filter, consume 200 ml on an empty stomach in the morning;
• prunes, dried apricots, raisins, honey: all components, taken 100 g each, mixed, pre-chopped, use 2 tsp. before bedtime.

Despite their safety, folk remedies during pregnancy can cause an individual reaction if some components are intolerant. Characteristic symptoms are skin rash, itching, hyperemia.

Changing your diet

Since blackening of stool can be caused by the inclusion of certain foods in a pregnant woman’s diet, in order to get rid of the symptom, it is enough to limit their consumption.

If constipation develops, it is recommended to enrich your diet with foods with a laxative effect, for example, dried fruits.

If the stool is green

Dark green stool during pregnancy indicates a change in a woman's diet. Mostly, green stool coloration is associated with a certain diet. Many pregnant women take extra care of their health and consume excessive amounts of green leafy vegetables. Broccoli, spinach, and lettuce contain a green pigment that gives stool the appropriate color.

Vitamin and mineral complexes may also be the cause of green stool. Such preparations contain large quantities of various microelements, the undigested part of which turns the stool green.

Prevention of stool disorders

Black stools during pregnancy are not uncommon. Most women during this period show increased concern for their own health and for the condition of the unborn child. And the occurrence of black feces can cause them anxiety.

1The essence of the problem

Why might a pregnant woman have black stool? There are several reasons for this. Some of them are quite harmless, others require immediate medical attention.

Normal stool is colored brown by bile pigments. But depending on changes in the body and the composition of food, the color of the stool can change from white to black.

Discoloration is important for diagnosis, since in many cases it is associated with developing diseases or pathologies.

2Non-hazardous reasons

The most common cause of black stool during pregnancy is taking iron supplements.

Iron deficiency anemia has recently been diagnosed in almost 80% of young mothers. The desire to be slim, the lack of a daily routine and proper nutrition lead to the fact that many girls develop this condition even before pregnancy. During pregnancy, it progresses because the developing fetus consumes a certain amount of iron from the mother's body.

Anemia is a very serious pathology that can bring a lot of trouble to the body of a pregnant woman, and especially to the unborn baby. Therefore, when diagnosing this disease, treatment must be prescribed. Iron is not synthesized in the human body; it enters the body only from the outside.

It is iron-containing preparations that give stool a black color and a specific odor. In some cases, a change in consistency is observed.

Most often, the discrepancy between the color, smell and consistency of normal stool was noted by pregnant women who consumed Sorbifer, Ferrum-Lek, Tardiferon.

Sometimes the body of a woman carrying a fetus, for some reason, does not absorb iron in the required amount. Then preparations with microelements are prescribed together with ascorbic and folic acids. In this case, the appearance of black feces is also characteristic.

In this case there is no cause for concern. The color will be restored within 2-3 days after stopping taking iron-containing medications.

The same thing happens if a pregnant woman takes activated carbon or drugs containing bismuth (De-nol, Vikalin, Vikair).

Bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract can be caused by long-term use of certain medications, such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Nimesulide, Loxidol, Nise, etc.

The color of stool is greatly influenced by the composition of the foods consumed. Black color can be given by:

• all varieties of black grapes, sultanas;
• black berries (blueberries, blackberries, black currants);
• dark-colored fruits (prunes, chokeberries);
• dishes containing liver;
• dishes containing animal blood (rare steak, blood sausage).

Many foods can darken stool. This:

• leafy greens in large quantities;
• beet;
• tomatoes;
• pomegranate, kiwi;
• strong coffee.

The dark color of stool comes from artificial colors found in processed foods and liquids (such as powdered drinks). When eating certain fruits (for example, bananas), black inclusions in the form of strings or small pieces may be present in the stool.

Natural reasons for stool turning black during pregnancy include indigestion under the influence of so-called pregnancy hormones. They are “to blame” for the increased excitability, suspiciousness, and nervousness of the expectant mother.

Foods that change the color of stool

Dark stool during pregnancy can be a result of eating the following foods:

1. Black berries (blueberries, currants).
2. Some fruits (blue grapes, pomegranate).
3. Prunes.
4. Dark-colored vegetables (beets, tomatoes).
5. Offal (blood, liver).
6. Drinks (red wine, dark grape juices, coffee).

If a pregnant woman consumed any of the listed foods the day before, she is most likely healthy. The darkening of the stool occurred under the influence of coloring pigments, which the body removed along with digested food.