Constipation is when a person's bowels fail to move. According to Cleveland Clinic staff, less than three bowel movements per week means a person is constipated, the most often cited gastrointestinal complaint in the United States. In the U.S., 2...
According to F. Gary Cunningham, M.D., chair of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 40 percent of women suffer from constipation at some point during pregnancy. Motility studies in pregnant women...
While physicians and herbalists recommend pregnant women avoid the use of fennel as an herbal medication due to its uterine stimulation properties, eating fennel as a vegetable during this time is perfectly safe. It is quite good for you and your...
According to the National Digestive Disease Information Center, NDDIC, more than 4 million Americans experience constipation yearly. People over age 65; post-surgical, post-stroke and palliative-care patients; and pregnant women who suffer from...
Many women who regularly enjoy a soothing Epsom salt bath often question whether they need to stop sprinkling the opaque crystals in their bath water once they conceive. In a healthy gestation, you can generally use small amounts of Epsom salts to...
Dialysis is the treatment used to replace kidney function after kidney failure. There are two types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Both types cleanse the blood of waste products, help manage electrolyte balance and remove...
Aches and pains, nausea, vomiting and swelling feet are all well-known parts of pregnancy. More than half of pregnant women experience a slightly more embarrassing symptom at some point during their nine months gestation. Constipation occurs when...
Eating the right foods and drinking water is not enough to achieve normal bowel movements for some people who are suffering from constipation. In those cases, using a gentle herbal laxative may be the next best thing before having to turn to...
Essiac, a controversial cancer treatment, helps relieve symptoms of acne and rosacea, according to widespread testimonials. Native Americans used two of the herbs in essiac to treat skin disorders, but scientific evidence about their effectiveness...
According to UpToDate, a vaginal hysterectomy is only an option when a hysterectomy is needed for a medical reason other than cancer and the uterus is not greatly enlarged. While a vaginal hysterectomy appears to have fewer complications than an...
Pregnancy is an exciting time in a woman's life, but it is also a time of significant change. Not only is the shape of your body changing, but your hormone levels are increasing, your blood volume is doubling and your organs are being shifted...
Licorice is more than just a tasty, strongly-flavored candy. It is a sweet and potent herb whose root has been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. Licorice is available as a capsule, tablet and tincture, and the dried root can also...
Bulimia nervosa is a type of eating disorder in which affected patients self-induce vomiting or excessively use laxatives, diuretics or enemas following eating binges. Women are three times more likely than men to develop bulimia, based upon...
Potassium is found in a wide variety of foods. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources, but fish, meat and nuts also provide potassium. Getting plenty of this essential nutrient through your diet may improve your health. However, some...
While many women worry about weight gain during pregnancy, it isn't the best time to attempt weight loss. Taking diet drugs or supplements intended for weight loss might have detrimental effects on the health of your pregnancy and your developing...
For women and men alike, potassium plays a number of vital roles in maintaining a healthy and functioning body. A potassium deficiency can have unpleasant side effects, but is unlikely to be caused by your diet, as potassium is available in a...
An increased appetite can be a symptom of a need for more calories, such as during pregnancy, or a symptom of disease. Occasionally it can result from a genetic disorder called Prader-Willi syndrome. Drugs such as corticosteroids and tricyclic...
Constipation affects nearly half of all pregnant women, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Iron supplements, anxiety about childbirth and a decrease in physical activity can all contribute to constipation during pregnancy. Your...
Constipation, a common symptom of late pregnancy, has many pregnant women perusing the pharmacy shelves for laxatives. Senna leaf, a part of the senna plant that has stronger effects than the fruit, according to MedlinePlus, has laxative effects...
Calcium is an important mineral for both men and women. No matter what your gender is, calcium requirements can increase due to broken bones or chronic conditions like high blood pressure. Yet, women have unique issues and situations that up the...
Wal-Mart has produced an extensive array of over-the-counter generic drugs that in general are cheaper than their name-brand counterparts. The Wal-Mart brand is called Equate. The company has medications for colds, allergies, indigestion and...
Like its male counterpart, women's lacrosse is an energetic game in which players on opposing teams run up and down a grass field trying to score goals into a net while controlling a ball with lacrosse sticks. The rules of women's lacrosse...
Approximately 20 million women in the United States have had a hysterectomy as of 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This surgical procedure involves removing a woman's uterus through her abdomen or vagina. In...
The colon, or large intestine, supports the absorption of water during digestion while bacteria in the colon produce vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. When there is a lack of...
Nothing feels better on a hot sunburn than cool aloe vera gel. The gel is so popular for treating sunburns that it can be found in any drugstore right next to sunscreens. In nature, aloe vera gel comes from inside the leaf of the aloe plant....
Fenugreek is used as a spice in food preparation as well as taken as an herbal supplement. First used medicinally by the Egyptians, fenugreek eases congestion when brewed into a tea. Drinking water that fenugreek seeds have been soaked in may...
Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS, is a syndrome or cluster of symptoms that includes abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, gas, passing mucous and other irregularities. Although pregnancy does not increase the risk of developing IBS,...
The easy accessibility of over-the-counter laxatives makes them a popular choice among dieters who mistakenly believe they lead to significant weight loss. Laxative abuse occurs when used for weight control or when used frequently for a long...
Both the flowers and the berries of the European elder, or elderberry, are used in complementary medicine. Elderberry is used either topically or internally, depending on the condition you are trying to treat. However, not all types of...