Why does a pregnant woman have lower abdominal pain? Bloody discharge from the genital tract appeared. Digestive problems

Most women complain that their lower abdomen hurts in the early stages of pregnancy. This happens during normal pregnancy, but can sometimes serve as a signal of illness.

Pregnancy is not a disease, but it does place increased emotional and physical stress on a woman’s body.

The periods from 2 to 3, from 3 to 9, from 9 to 12 weeks of pregnancy are considered dangerous. You need to be attentive to your health and watch for changes, especially during these periods.

You should not take independent steps; you need to consult a doctor.

Variety of reasons

During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes great changes. There is a huge restructuring of all functions to suit the needs of the fetus, which is why in some cases pain is felt.

The causes of pain in the early stages are divided into:

• obstetric (they will be related to pregnancy);
• non-obstetric (related to pathologies of organs that are not related to the reproductive system).

There are also so-called physiological pains that are observed at the very beginning of pregnancy. They do not cause discomfort and are sometimes completely invisible.

The first painful sensations begin about a week after fertilization, when the fertilized egg penetrates the endometrium. A few drops of blood may be released.

A woman may not pay attention to a pulling feeling in the lower abdomen, mistaking it for premenstrual syndrome.

The cause of pain in the early stages will be a change in hormonal levels, that is, an increase in progesterone in the blood. At this time, the ligaments will stretch and the center of gravity will change.

Physiological pain does not increase, is localized in the lower abdomen, and often radiates to the lower back. If a woman is worried about this, you can consult a gynecologist.

Reasons based on pregnancy

In the initial stages of pregnancy, the stomach hurts when diagnosed with an “ectopic pregnancy.” This occurs when the fertilized egg attaches to the ovaries or fallopian tubes before reaching the uterus.

The fetus is not able to develop in such places, which is why the woman begins to feel pain in this place. When the fertilized egg grows and does not fit in the place of attachment, it bursts at a short period of development.

This is accompanied by acute pain, severe bleeding, dizziness, and fainting.

Doctors try to detect incorrect attachment of the fertilized egg at the initial stages and not lead to rupture.

Then, given its small size, it is possible to remove it.

Another reason is the threat of miscarriage. At the beginning of pregnancy, for some reason, detachment of the fertilized egg may occur. Signs include pain in the lower abdomen and uterine bleeding.

If such symptoms appear, you should call an ambulance.

You cannot take independent measures; it is strictly not recommended to apply cold or a heating pad to your stomach when it hurts. Timely treatment will give a positive result.

Corpus luteum cyst is the next possible cause of abdominal pain in a pregnant woman in the early stages. The corpus luteum is a temporary formation that is formed to produce the hormone progesterone in the first months of pregnancy.

Sometimes the corpus luteum accumulates a lot of fluid, becomes larger in size, and then a cyst is diagnosed. This does not pose a threat to the pregnant woman and the fetus.

Women with this disease have abdominal pain in one specific place, but not severely, without fever or additional symptoms. There are special recommendations for such patients.

When a corpus luteum cyst ruptures, internal bleeding may occur, which is why there is no need to provoke such a rupture.

Women with a corpus luteum cyst should avoid:

• long walks;
• lifting weights at all times;
• sports activities.

In the early stages of gestation, fetal development may stop and a frozen pregnancy may occur. The female body rejects the dead fetus, the uterus begins to contract, which is why pain occurs.

It will be acute with increased bleeding. During the examination, the doctor makes sure that there are no parts of the fetus left and examines the condition of the uterine mucosa. With the help of medicines, she restores a woman’s health.

Diseases of the internal organs

During the period of bearing a child, chronic diseases begin to worsen, and new inflammatory processes arise. With weak immunity, infections can occur.

So the lower abdomen may hurt from cystitis - inflammation of the bladder. If the disease was in a chronic form, it may worsen in the early stages of pregnancy.

The growing uterus, which puts pressure on the bladder, provokes a decrease in immunity.

During cystitis at all stages, frequent urination with a small amount of cloudy urine and acute pain in the lower abdomen are observed. Treatment is prescribed by a urologist.

In addition to drug therapy, baths with medicinal herbs are used in the early stages. You need to dress according to the season to prevent hypothermia during pregnancy.

Pyelonephritis can cause pain in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar spine. This inflammatory kidney disease is often accompanied by infection, which is undesirable during pregnancy.

The woman may require hospitalization and possibly the use of antibiotics. It is important to quickly identify the onset of the disease in the early stages so that treatment is easier.

Another cause of pain in the initial stages is inflammation of the gallbladder, that is, cholecystitis. It is often accompanied by attacks of nausea, even vomiting.

Abdominal pain may increase with changes in body position. It can be aching in nature. With such symptoms, a woman is hospitalized in a hospital.

During pregnancy, the appendix can become inflamed, which can also cause abdominal pain. The pain begins on the right side, gradually moving downwards.

Nausea, vomiting, and increased body temperature occur. A characteristic sign of appendicitis is increasing pain in the lower abdomen when walking.

Other reasons

During pregnancy, abdominal pain may occur for other reasons that are not related to gynecology. Before pregnancy, a woman could have pathologies that manifest themselves as cramps in the lower abdomen.

With these diseases, fever, vomiting, and general deterioration in health are possible, which is undesirable in the early stages of pregnancy.

At any time, pain will be felt from the accumulation of intestinal gases. When you eat certain foods that increase gas formation, your intestines become bloated.

At the beginning of bearing a child, the uterus will also join this process, which gradually increases in size.

It is necessary to reduce the consumption of large quantities of sour, salty and spicy foods. Bloating is caused by incompatible foods that pregnant women love so much.

It is better to avoid carbonated drinks, mushrooms in any form, canned products, and products with vinegar throughout pregnancy.

You need to be careful about bowel movements. Cases of constipation or diarrhea should be isolated. If you are unable to digest food for a long time, you should consult a doctor to solve the problem.

At the very beginning of pregnancy and a little later, stagnant feces will poison the body, which will negatively affect health.

We must remember that a baby grows in the womb. The uterus increases in size, puts pressure on neighboring internal organs, and this causes stomach pain. The ligaments that support the uterus are stretched.

At the very beginning of pregnancy, it is difficult for them to stretch further, this causes pain. It decreases if you change your body position.

If a woman has previously had surgery on the pelvic organs with the appearance of adhesions, then they can interfere with the growing uterus.

In the early stages this will not be noticeable, but then the adhesions will tear and painfully stretch under the pressure of the uterus in the later stages.

When you urgently need to see a doctor

There are situations when a pregnant woman is required to see a doctor at any stage of pregnancy.

Pain and other symptoms signal pathological processes in the body that require immediate medical intervention.

You should consult a doctor at any time if:

• the pain intensifies and has the character of contractions;
• the temperature rises;
• there is discharge;
• stomach hurts for more than 2 days;
• pain increases when walking;
• nausea and vomiting occur;
• pain in the lower abdomen is sharp, cutting, intensifies with urination.

Self-medication is unacceptable. It can harm the child; you should immediately contact an ambulance. This is especially important in the early stages of pregnancy, when a woman may not be aware of her pregnancy.

Carrying out diagnostics

When there is pain in the lower abdomen, you need to see a doctor, even if the woman does not suspect she is pregnant.

This part of the body contains many important internal organs; missing their inflammation can sometimes be very dangerous.

At the beginning of the first trimester, the gynecologist will send a pregnant woman with complaints for examination.

An ultrasound examination of the abdomen is required.

It reveals pathological disorders in the structure of the reproductive organs, the formation of a neoplasm of a malignant or benign nature, and the presence of an ectopic pregnancy.

A more accurate research method is tomography (MRI or CT). In the early stages of pregnancy, changes in the internal organs of the mother's body can be determined.

If a neoplasm is detected, identify the malignant or benign nature of the tumor.

Laboratory tests of urine and blood are required. They are often taken for timely detection of inflammation in the reproductive system and the mother’s body.

Medical assistance

All medications are prescribed by a doctor. He determines the dosage, regimen of taking medications, and duration of the course.

Only a specialist can take into account chronic diseases, the condition of a pregnant woman and a child in the early stages of development.

A woman at home can adjust her lifestyle to reduce pain.

It is useful to move actively, it prevents bile from stagnating, helps blood move from the lower extremities, and is a good prevention of swelling of the legs.

For bowel function throughout pregnancy, you need to eat right. Eliminate spices, sauces, and hot seasonings from your diet. Meals should be regular, this is good for intestinal function.

The organs of the digestive system will get used to producing enzymes at a certain time. Snacks should be excluded, because they affect weight during pregnancy and have a bad effect on digestion.

In the last stages of pregnancy, women suffer from constipation; they need to prepare their intestines for this unpleasant situation in advance.

Even at the beginning of pregnancy, eat more dried apricots and prunes, and drink fermented milk drinks for dinner, for example, kefir, fermented baked milk. These products will help relieve constipation during pregnancy.

You should not tolerate a full bladder. Its emptying should occur without delay. Pain in the lower abdomen can be caused by the pressure of a full bladder on the uterus.

When sitting for a long time, it is useful to change your position more often; this will also help relieve tension and discomfort during pregnancy.

Conclusion

When the stomach hurts, pregnant women often worry. According to them, the child is feeling bad at this time. This is not so, the baby does not feel discomfort.

Often the lower abdomen experiences a spasm due to the emotional experiences of the expectant mother.

In the early stages of bearing a child, abdominal pain is not dangerous if it is not severe. Women need to calm down, listen to pleasant music, and do what they love.

At any time, you need to be able to balance your mental state, although this is not easy, especially when expecting your first child.

You need to consult a doctor, perhaps he will prescribe sedative medications. This is better than experiencing stomach cramps from unbalanced emotions.

Useful video

For any woman, the period of gestation is a very difficult and responsible time, when even with the slightest pain that occurs in the lower abdomen, severe anxiety and anxiety are felt. Discomfortable sensations during pregnancy are a fairly common practice that almost every expectant mother faces sooner or later.

As a rule, aching, nagging and sometimes sharp pains are the cause of hormonal changes in the body and the result of a growing fetus in the womb. At the same time, pain syndromes are not always a deviation from the norm and signal serious pathologies. Nevertheless If the pain is of an increasing nature and systematically bothers the woman, this is a reason to consult a doctor to find out exactly why the lower abdomen hurts.

In what cases is pain during pregnancy normal?

Carrying a child at any stage of pregnancy is always accompanied by a certain feeling of discomfort for a woman in the abdominal area, which is usually the norm. However, to understand To determine how safe these deviations are for the health of the expectant mother and her child, it is necessary to understand exactly what changes occur at this difficult moment in the woman’s body. After all, the appearance of an embryo always provokes a whole complex of physiological changes in a pregnant woman.

Physical changes that provoke deviations

During natural restructuring There are often situations in the body when a pregnant woman may periodically experience pain and discomfort. The body begins to undergo especially intensive restructuring before the sixteenth week of gestation, so during this period the pregnant woman may be bothered by such unpleasant syndromes as drowsiness, abdominal and lower back pain, nausea, constipation and even heartburn. All these rather unpleasant symptoms are directly related to the growth and development of the fetus, and therefore they are considered the norm.

However, if the pain is increasing, and they do not disappear for a long time, you should seek advice from a specialist in order to completely eliminate the possibility of developing more serious pathologies.

Causes of pain requiring medical intervention

There are many factors, which can serve as an impetus for the appearance of sharp pain syndromes in the lower abdomen, requiring immediate medical consultation. Let's try to figure out why this happens.

Causes of pain that do not require medical intervention

Most often discomfort and pain syndromes- This is a normal phenomenon that does not require any serious measures.

Why does your stomach hurt during pregnancy: other reasons

May cause abdominal pain and more serious deviations in the health of a pregnant woman, which are not always associated with the course of pregnancy.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many reasons that can cause pain in the lower abdomen. However, in most cases - This is a normal phenomenon and does not require any action. However, if the pain is systematic, it does not go away for a long time and causes serious ailments in the woman, accompanied by additional symptoms - you should not delay and wait until everything goes away on its own. It is likely that the pain is a syndrome of another, more complex pathological process. Therefore, the only way to find out the cause of deviations is, and choose a method to eliminate it - seeking help from a specialist.

Over the course of the entire period, a pregnant woman may notice more than once that something aches or tingles there. In most cases, there is no need to worry, since this is a physiological process. Why does my stomach hurt during pregnancy? More on this below in the article.

What is this

Abdominal pain during pregnancy is a common phenomenon that indicates both normal and pathological development of the fetus.

They differ in types, degrees of intensity and causes of occurrence.

Obstetrics

These are unpleasant sensations that arise directly during the process of gestation. Their duration, intensity and location are different.

1. There is a feeling of heaviness in the ovarian area.
2. In the first weeks, menstrual discomfort occurs in the groin area.
3. With a fetus, which is also characterized by aching and stitching manifestations in the ovarian area.
4. At .

Non-obstetric

These are uncomfortable signs that have nothing to do with pregnancy. The main causes of such conditions include the following processes.

1. Dysfunction of the digestive system. This unpleasant symptom is simultaneously accompanied by severe bloating, attacks of nausea and vomiting, constant nausea, constipation and other gastrointestinal problems. To correct this you need to balance your diet and lead a healthy lifestyle;
2. The rapid growth of the uterine muscles often causes characteristic sensations. In addition, due to a woman’s large uterus, all organs are displaced, which can also cause unpleasant feelings;
3. Inflammatory pathologies of internal organs. For example, inflammation can affect the gallbladder, in other words, cholecystitis develops.

Causes

How can your stomach hurt during pregnancy at different stages?

In the first trimester

A couple of days after fertilization, women feel slight discomfort in the form of a slight tingling sensation. But strangely enough, no one pays attention to this, because the girl doesn’t even know about conception.

In addition, at 5-7 weeks, discomfort may accompany the threat of spontaneous abortion, or ectopic pathology.

In the second trimester

As for the second trimester, at this time the symptom occurs for other reasons:

1. At the 4th month, the uterus begins to quickly enlarge, but it does not put pressure on adjacent organs. Even in this case, the growth of the uterus can cause pain in the groin area.
2. Unpleasant feelings may appear due to frequent or physical stress.
3. In the second trimester, disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract often occur, which can also affect the sudden appearance of an unpleasant symptom.
4. An acute sudden attack, which is accompanied by increased body height and dizziness, may indicate.

In the third trimester

Doctors say that such symptoms in later stages are mostly associated with increasing stress on the body.

1. The baby puts pressure on the organs of the digestive system, which causes slow digestion of incoming food.
2. Cramping manifestations indicate the appearance, but at the same time, placental abruption.
3. Two weeks before giving birth, every second girl experiences false contractions, which are often mistaken for the onset of labor.

The main thing is not to worry and remain calm.

How can it be dangerous?

There are many situations in which the stomach hurts during pregnancy, so only the most common ones will be given.

1. Threat of spontaneous abortion before 22 weeks. At the initial stage, it begins to pull in the uterine area. Usually an unpleasant symptom appears suddenly, and the woman immediately begins to panic. These feelings are similar to premenstrual sensations. The intensity and nature of the attacks may change: they may become cramp-like with a certain frequency.
2. . In half the cases, this pathology indicates involuntary contraction of the uterine muscles; this condition does not need to be treated. Because it goes away on its own. But in some cases, as a safety net, the doctor may recommend that the woman undergo conservatorship.
3. Premature placental abruption. This condition is typical for late stages. A small area of ​​detachment causes an unpleasant nagging pain and scanty bloody vaginal discharge. If the area of ​​detachment is large, strong and sharp spasms begin and develop.
4. In recent weeks, most women have developed symptoms. The attacks are sharp and intense.

There is no need to ignore even short-term pain during pregnancy; if you feel unwell, you should contact an antenatal clinic.

When and who to contact

What to do if your stomach hurts during pregnancy? First of all, consult a doctor.

During pregnancy, every woman experiences an unpleasant feeling in the lower abdomen at different times. To eliminate this condition, you must immediately consult a gynecologist.

If necessary, he will refer you to specialized specialists.

Diagnostics

In the early stages of gestation, the fetus and pelvic organs are allowed. Also in the first trimester, the patient’s medical history is collected, a gynecological examination is performed on a chair, general tests are prescribed, etc.

In the second trimester, extensive examinations are performed to diagnose diseases. The results will be sufficient to identify pathology. It is possible to carry out computer diagnostics, and in serious situations.

If a patient is suspected of having rare pathologies, it is prescribed for.

Treatment Methods

If you notice severe abdominal pain during pregnancy, you should not take medications without a doctor’s prescription. After all, if your stomach hurts during pregnancy, this may indicate serious problems.

As can be seen from the table, the causes of pain during the gestational period can be various problems.

Prevention

To prevent pathologies during pregnancy, the following measures must be observed.

1. Adhere to the correct regimen, the essence of which is its fragmentation. You need to eat five to six times a day in small portions.
2. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, just remember to wash them before eating;
3. Also consume fermented milk products daily.
4. Avoid spicy, fatty, smoked and fried foods.
5. Drinking large amounts, however, it is worth considering that drinking heavily is contraindicated for women suffering from edema.

The main thing is to smile as often as possible and be in a good mood. Stress and nervous experiences always negatively affect our body and general condition.

During pregnancy, abdominal pain always causes concern for the expectant mother. Even if they are insignificant, the woman perceives them as a threat to the health of her unborn child. Unpleasant sensations of varying strength may be evidence of changes natural to pregnancy, but they may also be the first symptom of an ongoing pathological process that cannot be ignored.

The pain can be of different types: acute and sudden, aching, cramping, stabbing or constant, chronic. For diagnosis, it is important to determine the location of discomfort and pain.

Causes of pain in the first half of pregnancy

In the early stages of pregnancy, pain localized in the lower abdomen can be divided into physiological and pathological. In the first case, unpleasant sensations are caused by natural changes during which the entire body undergoes restructuring. Such sensations are not dangerous. In addition, they are often minor, do not get worse over time and do not cause great physical discomfort.

Very often, in the first weeks of pregnancy, a woman experiences abdominal pain, as during menstruation. Often, the expectant mother does not even pay attention to them, believing that menstruation will begin in a day or two. This is especially true for those who suffer. In fact, this discomfort is caused by the implantation of the fertilized egg into the endometrium.

There are other reasons:

• hormonal changes in the body;
• excess progesterone levels;
• ligament sprain;
• increased sensitivity of the mother's body to errors in nutrition;
• changes in the center of gravity of the body.

There may be more serious causes of pathology:

Ectopic pregnancy

Hernia

The umbilical hernia itself does not cause pain. The danger is the risk of pinching. This pathology can cause stabbing and cutting pain in the lower abdomen and in the navel area, vomiting, nausea, and heartburn. If you have such symptoms, you should consult a doctor.

Symphysitis

Painful sensations that occur in the lower abdomen when walking can be caused by inflammation of the symphysis pubis (symphysitis). It is caused by softening of the pelvic bones under the influence of hormones. Because of this, discomfort in the perineal area and a characteristic duck gait are noted. While walking, pain often occurs due to diseases of the musculoskeletal system, which are aggravated due to increased pressure on them.

preterm birth

Nagging pain localized in the lower abdomen is the main symptom (28-38 weeks of gestation).

Other signs include:

• feeling of heaviness, “stone” stomach;
• aching pain in the lower back, sacrum;
• brown or watery vaginal discharge;
• feeling of pressure on the perineum;
• leakage of amniotic fluid;
• indigestion.

The cause of pain can be a dangerous pathology - premature. The condition is one of the most severe complications that threaten the life of the fetus and require immediate medical attention.

What are training contractions?

Mild tugging sensations at 38 weeks of pregnancy are an indicator that the body is intensively preparing for childbirth. They are called harbingers of childbirth. These also include:

• prolapse of the abdomen;
• slow fetal movements;
• increased pain in the lower back;
• stopping weight gain;
• mucous discharge from the vagina, sometimes streaked with blood;
• separation of the mucus plug;
• increased fatigue, unstable emotional state.

The pain may be cramping in nature. Sometimes they are perceived by women, especially first-time mothers, as the beginning of labor pains. In gynecology they are usually called. They are less painful, non-cyclical and do not tend to increase. Training contractions should not be a cause for concern, but they do mean that a woman should be mentally prepared for the start of labor.

38-39 weeks of pregnancy is the period when the baby is fully formed and viable. Labor can begin at any time.

What to do?

In case of severe cramping attacks in the first trimester, complicated by bleeding and fainting, you should immediately seek help from a doctor, since there is a very high probability of an incipient miscarriage or.

To reduce unpleasant symptoms caused by toxicosis, the following rules must be followed:

• stick to small meals 5-6 times a day;
• eat light plant foods, lean meats, fruits, vegetables;
• exclude smoked, spicy, fried foods from the diet;
• provide the pregnant woman with plenty of fluids to protect against dehydration (unsweetened tea, dried fruit compote, chamomile infusion, rosehip infusion);
• do not lie down immediately after eating and do not eat at night.

To prevent toxicosis in the morning, before getting out of bed, you need to eat a handful of nuts, crackers or crackers. Ginger, from which teas are prepared or its root added to salads or cereals, helps reduce attacks of nausea.

Every expectant mother should remember that painkillers can temporarily eliminate painful discomfort, but not cure the disease that is its cause.

Pains caused by stomach and other internal diseases will be overcome after treatment of the disease that caused them. For an accurate diagnosis, general tests, ultrasound and computed tomography are prescribed.

If you have minor abdominal discomfort that is not caused by chronic or acute diseases, you can improve your condition by following these tips:

1. Take a warm bath or shower regularly. The water should not be very hot.
2. Periodically go to bed to rest, listening to light music, meditating.
3. Drink plenty of fluids, especially if you are prone to swelling.
4. Take leisurely walks in places where there are no crowds of people. Staying in the fresh air supplies the placenta and other organs with oxygen and accelerates the elimination of waste and toxins.
5. Do yoga, fitball exercises.
6. Avoid stressful situations, physical and moral tension, and unjustified worries.
7. Follow a diet that supports intestinal microflora, prevents dehydration, and relieves swelling.
8. Visit your gynecologist regularly and follow all his instructions and recommendations.
9. Fight constipation: drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, eat foods rich in fiber, and exercise. Taking laxatives, especially without consulting a doctor, is not advisable.
10. Monitor your blood pressure and consult a doctor if it spikes.
11. To ease the condition during training contractions, you can lie on your left side, placing a pillow under your stomach, take a knee-elbow position for a few minutes, inhale deeply, counting to four, and exhale, counting to six. The same exercises in the future will alleviate the condition during childbirth.

Why does the stomach feel tight in the early stages of pregnancy? This question often worries expectant mothers, and at times leads to panic. When is discomfort pathological and when is it normal?

Pregnancy is a special time for a mother and her baby. After all, the connection between them is inextricable, and every negative influence or stress affects both of them.

Possible causes of pain

Every woman dreams of pregnancy being easy and not causing any cause for alarm. However, a very common complaint among pregnant women is pain in the lower abdomen of a pulling or aching nature.

The complaint is so common that it is necessary to clearly understand when pulling sensations during pregnancy are pathological and require immediate medical intervention, and when they are completely physiological and require only compliance with general recommendations.

Of course, pain in the lower abdomen can appear at any stage of pregnancy, however, most often women note their appearance in the early stages of pregnancy.

Painful sensations in the abdomen during pregnancy are very diverse, both in subjective sensations and in their localization and intensity of occurrence. Pain can appear both at rest and after any physical activity. Unpleasant sensations may appear in one place or radiate to other areas.

Abdominal pain during pregnancy can occur for various reasons

Unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen can rarely be avoided during pregnancy. These sensations can occur not only with pathology. During pregnancy, the uterus increases in size, and its ligaments and muscles are stretched. In addition, displacement of the pelvic organs occurs. All this leads to the appearance of pulling or aching sensations in the abdomen. All these phenomena are manifestations of physiological changes that occur to a woman during pregnancy.

Of course, this condition does not cause concern and does not require any intervention from a doctor. However, nagging pain in the lower abdomen is not always a physiological process. Most often, this indicates that the pregnancy is pathological and requires medical adjustments.

That is why, if you experience nagging or aching pain in the lower abdomen, you need to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist to accurately determine the cause of the pain.

Never self-medicate. Remember that you are responsible not only for yourself, but also for the little man you carry under your heart.

Abdominal pain during pregnancy can be:

obstetric;

non-obstetric.

Pain associated with obstetric pathology may be associated with the development of:

physiological changes during pregnancy;

threatened miscarriage;

frozen pregnancy;

ectopic pregnancy.

Pain not associated with pregnancy may occur with:

inflammatory processes;

pathologies of the digestive system;

surgical diseases;

diseases of other organs or organ systems.

Pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy as a normal option

Not all pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy is a manifestation of pathology. Sometimes they can occur during normal pregnancy.

As a physiological process, pain in the lower abdomen can occur in the following situations:

1 – a sign of pregnancy;

2 – termination of early pregnancy due to genetic mutations;

3 – displacement of the pelvic organs by the growing uterus;

4 – sprain of ligaments and muscles associated with the growth of the uterus.

Abdominal pain may just be a symptom of pregnancy

Abdominal pain is a sign of pregnancy

Finding out that you are pregnant is not difficult nowadays because there are pregnancy tests. In addition, evidence of pregnancy is a delay in the onset of menstruation.

All this is good if menstruation is regular and the delay is at least 14 days. Only in this case can a pregnancy test be positive. However, we should not forget that not all tests are highly indicative, so it may show two coveted stripes much later than we would like.

Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention to the sensations of your body, because it signals the onset of pregnancy long before a delay in the onset of menstruation occurs.

If you think that pregnancy is possible, then listen carefully to your body: it may send you a signal in the form of nagging pain in the lower abdomen. In this case, the pain will differ in its intensity: one woman will say that the pain is unbearable, another will not notice it at all. Every woman is individual.

If each menstruation is preceded by unpleasant painful sensations in the lower abdomen or lower back, you may not understand that once again they are an indicator of pregnancy.

In order to understand why pain in the lower abdomen occurs during pregnancy, it is necessary to remember the process of fertilization of an egg with a sperm. After their fusion in the fallopian tubes, the fertilized egg enters the uterus under the influence of the movement of cilia in the fallopian tubes. The uterine endometrium is a loose mass into which the fertilized egg is implanted.

The implantation process occurs on the eve of the expected menstrual flow and can cause pain as a harbinger of the onset of menstruation. However, menstruation does not come, which means that the pain that arose was a sign of implantation of the unborn baby.

The implantation process is the introduction of a fertilized egg into the endometrium of the uterus. At this time, the integrity of the lining of the uterus is violated, which may be accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen. In addition, sometimes slight spotting dark bloody discharge may appear from the genital tract, which can be perceived as the beginning of another menstruation.

Abdominal pain is not always a cause for concern

Abdominal pain associated with abortion due to gene mutations

Natural selection is one of the phenomena that helps only full-fledged creatures be born. Therefore, situations often arise when a woman loses her fertilized egg without knowing that she is pregnant.

This phenomenon occurs due to the fact that there is some defect in the fertilized egg at the gene level. In this case, there is no implantation of the fertilized egg, but a spontaneous miscarriage occurs.

If a woman does not assume that pregnancy has occurred, she may not realize that a miscarriage has occurred. This is due to the fact that menstruation arrives on time, or with a slight delay, and proceeds as usual. Sometimes menstruation may be accompanied by slight pain in the lower abdomen.

In addition, weakness, nausea, breast swelling, and stretching in the lower abdomen or lower back may occur. However, all this is attributed to premenstrual syndrome, the symptoms of which disappear after the cessation of menstruation.

Obstetric causes of lower abdominal pain

Threatened miscarriage

One of the most common reasons for pain in the lower abdomen is a threatening spontaneous miscarriage. This condition is individual and does not depend on physical activity or complete rest, but on the condition of the woman and her unborn child.

Reasons that can cause spontaneous miscarriage include:

sexual contact;

nutritional disorders of the ovum;

placental abruption.

Of course, this is not evidence that with complete rest you are not in danger of miscarriage. Detachment can occur due to gene abnormalities and stress. No woman is immune from the threat of losing her baby.

That is why it is so necessary to pay attention and be sensitive to the state of your body, which will send signals in every possible way that pregnancy is not proceeding as desired.

A threatened spontaneous miscarriage is accompanied by:

aching or nagging pain in the lower abdomen;

aching or nagging pain in the lower back or sacrum.

If you experience pain in the lower abdomen, you need to consult a doctor, since a threatened miscarriage, if medical care is not provided, can turn into an incipient abortion, the treatment of which is much more difficult, if not completely useless.

An ambulance should be called if:

pain in the lower abdomen intensifies;

pain begins to radiate to other areas;

painful sensations are in one place, but do not go away or intensify;

bloody discharge from the genital tract appeared.

Abdominal pain accompanied by discharge may be a sign of miscarriage

Increased pain

If the nagging pain in the lower abdomen is weak, does not intensify and does not radiate to other areas, then you can come to the antenatal clinic in the daytime on your own. This will not cause serious complications to your condition.

If the painful sensations become more intense and do not go away with rest, you need to take an antispasmodic, call an ambulance and go to bed. Among antispasmodics, pregnant women are allowed to take No-shpa, or Drotaverine, and they can also use suppositories with Papaverine, which are placed in the rectum.

You can't put anything on your stomach. Both hot and cold application can contribute to the onset of spontaneous miscarriage. In addition, if there is a threat of abortion, this manipulation will not remove painful sensations.

Localized pain

If a threatening spontaneous miscarriage occurs, a pulling or aching pain bothers the pregnant woman in the lower abdomen.

If the pain is clearly localized in a specific place, most often on the right or left, then a mandatory consultation with a specialist is necessary, since the development of an ectopic pregnancy or surgical pathology, for example, appendicitis, is possible.

Bloody discharge from the genital tract

If the nagging painful sensations in the lower abdomen are accompanied by bloody discharge from the genital tract, urgent medical attention is needed. This phenomenon may indicate the onset of a spontaneous miscarriage.

The discharge can be scanty, spotting or abundant, dark or bright. In any case, you cannot do without consulting an obstetrician-gynecologist.

There are situations when there is no pain, but there is bloody discharge from the genital tract. This case also requires specialist intervention.

Any bloody discharge from the genital tract may be evidence of detachment of the fertilized egg. Only timely treatment can help maintain and prolong pregnancy.

In some cases, the appearance of bloody discharge from the genital tract may be a manifestation of a frozen pregnancy, which requires immediate removal from the uterine cavity.

Frozen pregnancy

The fertilized egg does not always develop correctly. In some cases, its division stops and the embryo dies. Most often, a frozen pregnancy occurs due to some mutations. In this case, the woman does not suspect that the pregnancy has stopped.

However, the dead fertilized egg begins to be rejected on its own. In this case, nagging pain occurs in the lower abdomen, which is soon joined by bloody discharge from the genital tract.

When a diagnosis of frozen pregnancy is made, curettage of the uterine cavity is indicated in order to get rid of the non-developing fetus.

Frozen pregnancy can cause abdominal pain

Ectopic pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy most often occurs as a tubal abortion, when the fertilized egg does not reach the uterus, and the implantation process occurs in the fallopian tube. In this case, the development of the fertilized egg can continue for a long time without any manifestations, up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. However, most often a tubal miscarriage occurs between 6 and 8 weeks of pregnancy.

The fertilized egg develops and grows, which causes pain in the right or left side of the lower abdomen. The pain is one-sided, obsessive in nature, and tends to intensify.

In addition to pain in the lower abdomen, bloody discharge from the genital tract appears, and pain begins to radiate to the leg from the side where the pain appears. There may be unpleasant sensations of pressure on the rectum. Medical surgery is the only way to save a woman’s life. Preservation of pregnancy is impossible in this case.

One of the characteristic signs of tubal pregnancy is the appearance of slight pulling sensations in the lower abdomen several weeks before the strict localization of pain and bloody sensations in the lower abdomen.

Non-obstetric causes of lower abdominal pain

Inflammatory processes

Among the non-obstetric causes that cause nagging pain in the lower abdomen, the most common are inflammatory processes of the pelvic organs. If previously it was believed that inflammation could not occur in pregnant women, now it has been proven that a decrease in the immunity of a pregnant woman awakens all pathological processes in her body.

The stomach may hurt due to problems with the digestive tract

Surgical pathology

Of the surgical pathologies that can be accompanied by nagging pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy, appendicitis is the most common.

In the early stages of pregnancy, it is necessary to differentiate obstetric and gynecological diseases from appendicitis, since it has similar symptoms to them. Pain appears in the lower abdomen, which most often occurs in the navel area, and then descends to the right iliac region. Nausea and vomiting occur, and the temperature rises. The only treatment option is appendectomy. In this case, the pregnancy continues.

Diseases of other organs or systems

In addition to obstetric and surgical reasons, which can cause nagging pain in the lower abdomen in the early stages of pregnancy, other body systems can also be involved in the pathological process. The most common lesion is the genitourinary tract.

Cystitis

Cystitis, due to the anatomical features of a woman, can occur at any time and in any condition, so pregnant women are just as susceptible to it as non-pregnant women.

The bladder, located in the lower third of the abdomen, can give false symptoms of a threatening spontaneous miscarriage. In addition, cystitis can occur in a pregnant woman quite often due to compression of the ureters by the growing uterus and the infection passing downwards, especially often with chronic pyelonephritis.

Cystitis, in addition to nagging or aching pain in the lower abdomen, is accompanied by pain when urinating, pain at the end of urination. In addition, symptoms of cystitis may be accompanied by bleeding.

In any case, it is necessary to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist, undergo a general urine test, and then consult a urologist and treat the infection. Any infection can negatively affect the condition of the fetus, so timely treatment is the key to the normal development of your child.