Bowel movement question?

My to-be sister-in-law claims that she has intestinal problems and cannot remember ever having a solid bowel movement. She is always in the bathroom and claims she does not know the cause. My concern is that she is abusing laxatives. She has always been very thin and is now 8 months pregnant and has still not gained the recommended weight. My main question is, "Is there any medical problems/disorders that would cause this that is not an eating disorder? and if there was, wouldn't a doctor treat it and solve the problem???

There are some medical conditions which cause a person to have irregular bowel patterns and frequent loose stools such as Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome but if she has informed her physician of these symptoms they would have discovered the cause and treated it by now. Is it possible that she has not told her ND about this problem? This doesn't sound healthy given the fact that she is pregnant. The lack of vitamins ans minerals due to inability to absorb them could have devastating effects on her unborn child. Whether it is a true condition or a misuse of laxatives she is putting her baby at risk.

IBS...Irritable Bowel Syndrome causes a person to have runny bowels all the time.

I sure hope the baby will be healthy!!!

Could be Krohns disease...a condition where the intestinal lining develops scar tissue, thereby not allowing the absorbtion of liquids in the digest system, thus causing constant diarhea...or shes a laxative freak.

people can have disorders of the intestines which can cause lack of formed stool but most of them cause more additional significant symptoms.......diverticulitis, chrons disease.....but these can.t really be cures.....well if theres always laxatives in the house then maybe she really is abusing them.....not all pregnant people gain a bunch of weight....i seen women who looked like all they would pop out is a kitten at like 8 months pregnant....