Pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal tract during pregnancy

Pregnancy is associated with a wide variety of physiologic changes in virtually all the organ systems of the body. Some of these changes, such as the hyperventilation of pregnancy with its resulting respiratory alkalosis, are clinically silent, whereas others, such as heart-burn and hemorrhoids, cause significant distress. The effects of pregnancy on the hepatobiliary system have been the subject of much scrutiny and many publications, whereas disturbances of the hollow viscera have been infrequently reviewed. In this report, we will discuss the major pathophysiologic changes that occur along the length of the hollow viscera of the gastrointestinal tract during pregnancy.