GI and Liver Disease During Pregnancy: A Practical Approach

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by altered bowel habits and abdominal pain. IBS is extremely common. It affects up to 20% of the general population¹ and is the most common diagnosis in outpatient gastroenterology clinics.² Notably, women are affected up to 2 to 3 times more often than men,¹ and IBS often develops at a young age, typically coinciding with the childbearing years. Therefore, recognizing and treating symptoms of IBS prior to and during pregnancy becomes important. The Rome III criteria for diagnosis of IBS are listed in Table 6-1. In brief…