What Causes Bloating and Gas in Pregnant Women?

Bloating in pregnant women is a normal physiological response during pregnancy. After conception, hormonal changes occur, particularly an increase in progesterone secretion. While this hormone helps suppress uterine contractions to maintain pregnancy, it also slows gastrointestinal motility and reduces gastric acid secretion—thereby weakening gastric digestive function and causing food chyme to stagnate and ferment in the stomach, producing gas. Additionally, as the uterus enlarges, it exerts pressure on the intestines, further slowing intestinal peristalsis and impairing digestion and absorption. Consequently, some undigested food is broken down by intestinal bacteria, generating large amounts of gas—leading to bloating.