Q: Good day Dr. Ketch, I am in my early month of pregnancy and is finding it difficult to pass stool. Please help.

A: Welcome to the land of pregnancy and raging hormones!!! This is going to be an interesting period in your life and your hormones are going to act up in different ways.

Constipation is common in pregnancy and is due to the hormones of pregnancy, which make the muscles of your digestive tract work in a more leisurely manner. This ensures that food stays longer in the tract, more nutrients are absorbed from it (so that more nutrients can go to baby) but also more water is absorbed from it, leaving the poop hard and constipated. The iron-containing pre-natal drugs may also contribute to this but you do have to take them ;D

Tips to help you deal with the constipation include:

• Adding more fruits and…