Which condition is defined as lack of a bowel movement for more than 3 days?

• A. Constipation
• B. Gastroenteritis
• C. IBS
• D. Hepatomegaly

Answer: (A)

Lack of a bowel movement for more than three days points to constipation, which means infrequent or difficult-to-pass stools. In practice, constipation is typically described as fewer than three bowel movements per week, and may involve hard, dry stool, straining, or a sense of incomplete evacuation. The scenario’s main feature—the absence of a bowel movement for several days—fits this pattern.

Gastroenteritis, by contrast, involves inflammation of the stomach and intestines and usually presents with diarrhea and sometimes vomiting, rather than simply a prolonged absence of stools. Irritable bowel syndrome features recurrent abdominal pain with changes in bowel habits (which can include diarrhea, constipation, or both), but not the straightforward absence of bowel movements for several days. Hepatomegaly is enlargement of the liver and has no direct relation to bowel movement frequency.

So the description aligns best with constipation.