title: Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Functional Constipation in Pregnant Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the prevalence of functional constipation in pregnant women and to analyze the impact of its risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched hospital databases for women who were 37-41 weeks pregnant (1698 cases) from July 2012 to January 2014 in four hospitals in Shanghai. We reviewed factors including general data, living and eating habits, psychological history, past history of defecation in the 6 months before pregnancy and defecation after pregnancy. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pregnant women who were more than 35 years old, with a pre-pregnancy body mass index >24, who were highly educated and employed in a sedentary occupation, showed a higher prevalence of functional constipation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the prevalence of functional constipation among pregnant women was related to age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, diet, exercise, occupation, psychological factors, threatened abortion in early pregnancy and constipation history.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence rate of functional constipation in pregnant women was significantly higher than in the general population.
authors.affiliation: The Medical School of Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Huangpu District Maternity and Infant Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: The Medical School of Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Sa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003248:Constipation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult