Are you trying to get pregnant? Here’s why you should never ignore a bout of diarrhoea
IF you're trying to get pregnant, you're probably monitoring ovulation.
You may be doing this through period or ovulation tracking apps; but your body also gives key clues about your fertility - some of them not so glamorous.
If you're struck by a bout of diarrhoea midway through your cycle, this could be a sign that you're ovulating.
“Because the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the reproductive system share the pelvis, often something that affects one may affect the other,” Allison Rodgers, a board-certified OB/GYN, reproductive endocrinologist, and director of education at the Fertility Centers of Illinois, told .
As a result, you may notice your poop is more watery than normal - even verging on diarrhoea - during ovulation.
What is ovulation?
Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from your ovary, travelling down your fallopian tube when it can be fertilised by sperm.
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This is usually the point of the month where you're most fertile, usually at the middle of your menstrual cycle.
According to the NHS, ovulation usually occurs around 12 to 16 days before your period starts, so you may be able to work out when you're likely to ovulate if you have a regular cycle.
But pinpointing the exact window of time where this is happening can be tricky, as your egg only hangs around in the fallopian tubes for 12 to 24 hours, according to .
Can diarrhoea be a sign of ovulation?
According to Dr Rodgers, getting the runs could be a sign you're ovulating.
“Some people notice a huge correlation between their menstrual cycles and bowel symptoms,” she said, including a correlation between ovulation and bouts of diarrhoea.
The culprits behind your runnier number twos are hormones called prostaglandins, which play a role in prompting your egg to be released and also relax the smooth muscle tissue inside your uterus to facilitate shedding of the uterine lining that happens during your period.
Prostaglandins can also relax your intestinal muscles, causing the “the smooth muscle of the GI tract [to respond] by moving digested food through faster,” Dr Rodgers explained.
This can result in watery poops.
These hormones are also behind the runnier number twos you might get before or during your period, known as period poos.
Who's most likely to see a change in bowel habits while ovulating?
But not everyone will see changes to their bowel habits during ovulation or periods, as they're not "sensitive" to prostaglandins.
And if you already have gut issues that tend to result in diarrhoea - like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - runny poops might not always be the most reliable indicator of ovulation as it can be hard to pinpoint their cause.
According to Dr Rodgers, you might be more prone to digestive issues while ovulating if you suffer from endometriosis, a painful condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus.
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What are other signs that I'm ovulating?
There are other indications of ovulation that you can look out for instead, according to :
- A slight increase (about 0.5 to 1 degree) in your body temperature when you're at rest - you may be able to detect this with a thermometer but you would have to track it every day of the month to see the difference
- A change in cervical mucus - you may notice wetter, clearer and more slippery mucus around the time of ovulation
- Tender breasts
- Bloating
- Mild pelvic or tummy pain
- Light bleeding or spotting
- Increased sex drive
- Heightened sense of smell, taste, or sight
- Mood changes
- Appetite changes
How can I manage diarrhoea?
DIARRHOEA involves passing looser, watery or more frequent poo than is normal for you.
Though it can be unpleasant, it's usually nothing to worry about.
It'll normally clear up within a few days to a week.
A bowel infection is often a common cause of diarrhoea and can be the result of a virus, bacteria or a parasite.
Make sure you:
- Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration - have small sips of water often
- Use an oral rehydration solution (ORS) if you're particularly at risk of dehydration
- Eat olid foods as soon as you feel able to
- Avoid foods that are fatty or spicy, as well as fruit juice and fizzy drinks
- Stay at home until at least 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea to prevent spreading any infection to others
Speak to your GP if you have diarrhoea and:
- It’s particularly frequent or severe
- It lasts for more than seven days
- The poo has blood on it
- You're vomiting and are unable to keep fluid down
- You have a severe or continuous stomach ache
- You're experiencing weight loss
- You have passed a large amount of very watery diarrhoea
- It occurs at night and is disturbing sleep
- You have recently taken antibiotics or been treated in hospital
- You have signs of dehydration – including drowsiness, peeing less than usual, and feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- You have poo that’s dark or black – this may be a sign of bleeding inside your stomach
Source: NHS Inform