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Effect of pregnancy on gastrointestinal transit

Digestive Diseases and Sciences volume 27, pages 1015–1018 (1982)Cite this article

Abstract

In order to evaluate the possible effects of pregnancy-associated sex steroids on gastrointestinal function, we determined gastrointestinal transit times and sex steroid levels in 15 women during the third trimester of their pregnancies and again 4–6 weeks following delivery when gastrointestinal function had symptomatically returned to normal. Gastrointestinal transit time from ingestion of a liquid lactulose meal to its delivery to the cecum was determined by monitoring breath hydrogen concentrations at 10-min intervals. Gastrointestinal transit times were significantly prolonged in the third trimester of pregnancy, when progesterone and estradiol levels were increased, compared to the postpartum period. This study supports previous findings which suggest that increasing levels of progesterone and estradiol affect gastrointestinal function and therefore may contribute to gastrointestinal symptoms that often occur in pregnant women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. recipient of Research Career Development Award K01 AA-00016 from the National Institute of Mental Health, Division of Gastroenterology, Montefiore Hospital, 3459 Fifth Avenue, 15213, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Arnold Wald MD, David H. Van Thiel MD, Leah Hoechstetter BS, Judith S. Gavaler BS, Kimberly M. Egler BS, Ray Verm MD, Larry Scott MD & Roger Lester MD

  2. recipient of Research Career Development Award K01 AA-00016 from the National Institute of Mental Health, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Presbyterian-University Hospital, 15261, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Arnold Wald MD, David H. Van Thiel MD, Leah Hoechstetter BS, Judith S. Gavaler BS, Kimberly M. Egler BS, Ray Verm MD, Larry Scott MD & Roger Lester MD

  3. recipient of Research Career Development Award K01 AA-00016 from the National Institute of Mental Health, The Division of Gastroenterology, University of Texas School of Medicine, Texas Medical Center, 77025, Houston, Texas

    Arnold Wald MD, David H. Van Thiel MD, Leah Hoechstetter BS, Judith S. Gavaler BS, Kimberly M. Egler BS, Ray Verm MD, Larry Scott MD & Roger Lester MD

Authors
  1. Arnold Wald MD
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  2. David H. Van Thiel MD
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  3. Leah Hoechstetter BS
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  4. Judith S. Gavaler BS
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  5. Kimberly M. Egler BS
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  6. Ray Verm MD
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  7. Larry Scott MD
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  8. Roger Lester MD
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Wald, A., Van Thiel, D.H., Hoechstetter, L. et al. Effect of pregnancy on gastrointestinal transit. Digest Dis Sci 27, 1015–1018 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01391748

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01391748

Keywords

  • Public Health
  • Hydrogen
  • Steroid
  • Pregnant Woman
  • Progesterone