More guides and experiences about Anal fissure. Explore all →
fissurepregnancytreatmentsafe-options

Fissure during pregnancy: safe options

Published 13 March 2026 ·Last reviewed 13 March 2026 by the editorial team ·How we create our content

A composite account, drawn from many real anonymised experiences. It is not any one person's story.

Fissure during pregnancy: safe options

What this experience covers

This experience looks at what people describe about managing an anal fissure during pregnancy — the limited treatment options, the frustration, and the strategies that help. It is a composite drawn from many anonymised accounts.

The pattern

Why fissures happen during pregnancy

Pregnancy increases the risk of fissures through several mechanisms:

  • Constipation from hormonal changes and iron supplements
  • Increased pressure on the pelvic area from the growing uterus
  • Reduced physical activity for some people
  • Dietary changes and nausea affecting fibre intake

The treatment limitations

Many standard fissure treatments are not recommended during pregnancy:

  • GTN cream — not typically prescribed during pregnancy
  • Diltiazem — used with caution; some clinicians avoid it
  • Botox — generally not used during pregnancy
  • Surgery — usually deferred unless absolutely necessary

This leaves people managing with conservative measures:

  • Stool softeners that are safe in pregnancy (your clinician can advise which ones)
  • Sitz baths in warm water
  • Dietary management for soft stools
  • Topical measures your clinician has specifically approved

The frustration people describe

The most common emotional theme: frustration at having limited options while dealing with significant pain. People describe feeling that they have to “just put up with it” until after the birth, which feels inadequate when the pain is severe.

What helps

  • Consistent stool management — this is the most effective approach available
  • Sitz baths after every bowel movement
  • Staying hydrated
  • Working closely with both the midwife/obstetrician and GP to find safe options
  • Knowing that for many people, the fissure improves after delivery when bowel function normalises

What people wish they had known

  • That constipation prevention is the best strategy — starting fibre and hydration early
  • That some safe treatment options do exist and are worth discussing with a clinician
  • That the fissure often improves postpartum, even without specific treatment
  • That the emotional toll of managing pain during pregnancy is valid and worth mentioning to their care team

Navigating this during pregnancy adds extra complexity. Our chat can help you think through what is safe and what to prioritise.

When to contact your doctor

Seek medical attention if you experience:

  • Heavy or persistent bleeding
  • Severe pain that is affecting daily function
  • Fever or signs of infection
  • Symptoms that are worsening despite self-care
When to seek care Heavy bleeding or feeling faint? Get emergency help now. Emergency: 911

Not sure how urgent it is? Get help today.

  1. Emergency

    Heavy bleeding, black tarry stools, feeling faint, severe pain or trouble breathing.

    Call 911 or go to the ER.

  2. Today

    Fever, pain getting worse, a hot swollen lump, or trouble passing urine.

    Call your doctor or go to urgent care.

  3. Soon

    Bleeding or bowel changes nobody has checked, or anything lasting 3 weeks.

    Book a doctor’s appointment.

Feeling overwhelmed? Call or text 988, any time.

See all the signs

For this topic, get medical advice if you notice:

  • Severe or worsening pain
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Fever
  • Black stools
  • Fainting or dizziness
  • Pus or unusual discharge
  • Inability to pass stool or gas
  • Unexplained weight loss

Recording how you feel is not the same as being checked. These are the signs that need a doctor’s attention.

Call 911 or go to the emergency room now if you have:

  • bleeding that will not stop, a lot of blood (the toilet water turns red, or you pass large clots), or any bleeding with feeling faint or dizzy
  • fainting, a racing heart or trouble breathing
  • confusion or slurred speech, extreme shivering, no urine in a day, or blotchy skin
  • sudden severe belly pain, or a swollen, hard belly with vomiting or not passing stool or gas
  • you cannot pass urine at all, or your bladder feels full and painful and you can’t empty it
  • redness, swelling or severe pain spreading quickly around your anus, genitals or groin, especially with a fever or feeling very ill
  • a fever with a painful swelling near your anus if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system (for example, from chemotherapy or transplant medicines)
  • black, tarry stools

Call your doctor or go to urgent care today (or the ER if you can’t be seen today) if you have:

  • a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, vomiting, or feeling generally unwell
  • pain that is getting worse over days, or severe pain that stops you sitting or sleeping
  • a hot, swollen or very tender lump near your anus or at the top of the crease between your buttocks, or foul-smelling discharge
  • trouble urinating
  • bleeding that is getting heavier or more frequent, or blood mixed into your stool
  • feeling much more tired than usual, looking pale, or getting out of breath more easily than you used to
  • not passing stool for several days, or new belly pain

Make an appointment with your doctor if:

  • you have never had these symptoms checked by a doctor or nurse — whatever your age
  • you have had rectal bleeding for more than 3 weeks
  • your bowel movements have been looser, thinner or more frequent than usual for 3 weeks or more, or you have lost weight without trying
  • symptoms have not settled after a week or so, or keep coming back
  • you notice a new lump near your anus, between your buttocks or in your belly, or an itch or discharge that does not clear
  • you have new leakage or trouble controlling your bowels
  • you are 45 or over, or have a family history of bowel cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, and any of these symptoms are new for you

If you are unsure, it is always reasonable to ask. If things feel overwhelming, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time. If you don’t feel safe, call 911.

Showing US care routes. Change region at the foot of the page.

Discreet symptom tracking

Symptoms that come and go? Keep track, day by day.

For hemorrhoids, fissures, fistulas and other anal and rectal problems. A short, discreet email asks how things have been, and saves each answer, so you can look back at every flare and every good week in your own words. If you haven’t had your symptoms checked, see your doctor first.

  • About ten seconds a check-in. No app, no password.
  • Nothing in the subject or preview says what it’s about.
  • Each Sunday, a link to your week, ready for your next appointment.
Start tracking →

Your notes

Your check-in

Takes about ten seconds.

20:00
Example. Nothing on the lock screen hints at symptoms or conditions.

Explore more

Related guides

Fissure during pregnancy and postpartum

Why anal fissures occur during pregnancy and after delivery, what safe self-care looks like, when to tell your provider.

Managing constipation: common tips

Learn about common approaches to managing constipation, what people report helps, what tends to make things worse, and when to seek medical care.

Sitz bath routine: tips and mistakes

A practical guide to sitz baths based on what people commonly report about routines, timing, temperature, and what to avoid.

Related experiences

Hemorrhoids in pregnancy and postpartum

A composite account of how hemorrhoids develop during pregnancy, peak around delivery, and gradually resolve in the postpartum period.

Chronic fissure treatment journey

A composite account of the path people describe from an acute fissure that does not heal into the world of chronic fissure treatment options.

All content about Anal fissure →