What Causes Constipation in Women?
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Lack of Fluids
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Sometimes all it takes for a woman to become constipated is a lack of fluids. In anyone's digestive system, be it a woman's or a man's, a certain amount of water is needed for the passing of waste. When there isn't enough, the muscle may still contract to rid the body of this waste, but the actual movement of the stool, which has become harder and dryer than normal, may slow or become more difficult to pass due to the lack of water (or fluids), resulting in constipation.
Lack of Fiber
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According to the Mayo Clinic, a lack of fiber can also cause constipation in women. What happens is that your stool will eventually begin to change in its consistency when there isn't enough fiber in your diet, becoming more and more solid and essentially not as pliable as before. As time goes by, this solid and stiff stool will become increasingly harder to pass until constipation inevitably sets in.
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Lack of Physical Activity
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The fitness level of a woman can actually have an effect on her bowel movements. While most people consider physical fitness to be essential in weight management, it is also an important facet of keeping a person "regular." When a woman is able to keep herself physically active, she'll essentially keep her bowels moving at a healthy pace. It isn't just the muscles that stay fit from exercise, it's also all your internal organs, including the large intestines.
Pregnancy
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Many women who are pregnant will ultimately go through episodes of constipation. This is partly due to the hormonal changes in her body, making the body as a whole (as well as the large intestines) perform differently than before the pregnancy. It is also due to an overall change in lifestyle; she'll be eating differently, experiencing a change in nutrition and not being as physically active as before.
Medication
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Some women, according to the Mayo Clinic, have been known to suffer from constipation due to a change in medication or an introduction of new type of medication. The most common medications to cause constipation in women (and men) would be that of antihypertensive, antidepressants and pain relievers. Essentially, the constipation is a reaction to the medication and can lessen as a woman's body gets used to the drug.
Medical Conditions
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A woman's medical condition, apart from pregnancy, can also play a role in the cause of her constipation. This can really run the gamut. From an injury or a stroke to a disease or disorder, almost any type of medical condition can result in the lack of production or obstruction of stool, causing a woman to become constipated.
Laxative Use
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The use of laxatives, namely their abuse, can cause a woman to begin to suffer from constipation. This is due to the body becoming used to having the substance in the system that it essentially becomes dependent on it to produce an actual bowel movement.
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