You may find you have diarrhoea before and during your period, and this can be common. It’s thought that the same hormonal changes responsible for your period can also affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which can cause a number of symptoms including diarrhoea.
Some abdominal symptoms experienced around the time of your period are not related to your digestive system – bloating and cramping may feel like it’s your stomach, but it’s your uterus contracting. However, these same hormones (called prostaglandins) regulate the contraction and relaxation of the muscles in the gut too, which is why gut issues like diarrhoea can occur.
