Lower abdominal pain in pregnancy

Pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy is a sign not only of natural changes during pregnancy, but can also be associated with some pathological processes that require urgent medical attention.

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Reasons

These are quite acceptable sensations that are considered physiologically normal, although for expectant mothers any discomfort is a reason for anxiety, and sometimes even panic. Before subjecting your nervous system to emotional tests, you should learn to differentiate the nature of pain in the lower abdomen, determine where it gives (radiates). Often, painful sensations do not pose a threat to the health of the mother and the future baby, but there are also quite serious conditions, the signs of which you need to know in order to take the necessary measures in a timely manner.

Types of pain and possible causes:

• Painful sensations, discomfort, indicating a threat of miscarriage - aching pains that do not go away within 2-3 hours. If the pain in the lower abdomen is accompanied by bloody discharge, turns into cramping, you must immediately call an ambulance. The threat of abortion almost never manifests itself with radiating pain, painful sensations are localized in the lumbar region. Factors that provoke spontaneous termination can be intense physical activity, severe stress, infectious diseases, injuries or intrauterine pathology developing in the fetus.
• An ectopic pregnancy is characterized by severe, cramping pains localized on one side (where the egg has attached to the peritoneum). Discharge may be insignificant, the main symptom is severe pain, loss of consciousness, and a drop in blood pressure. A particularly dangerous condition is when the fallopian tube ruptures (between the 8th and 10-12th week). If the tube bursts, the pain in the lower abdomen radiates to the leg or anal area, and may also rise upwards – to the hypochondrium or supraclavicular area.
• Placental abruption is one of the threatening conditions during pregnancy, manifested by very strong painful sensations, the woman literally "folds" in half. The uterus and the abdomen itself are very tense, the pain increases. This condition requires immediate medical care, as intrauterine hypoxia of the fetus and its death are possible.
• Lower abdominal pain during pregnancy is common and results in gastrointestinal upset. Constipation or flatulence caused by an irrational diet can cause nausea, nagging pain, and heartburn. Of course, these conditions are most often controlled by diet, but regular disruptions to the digestive system can threaten the process of bearing a child.
• Natural pains associated with physiological stretching of the abdominal muscles. The uterus grows, and accordingly the load on the muscles and ligaments that support it increases. The enlarged uterus slightly displaces the organs, which also change position, causing some discomfort in the abdominal area.
• Acute conditions, called "acute abdomen", can also occur in pregnant women. Acute inflammation of the appendix, an attack of pancreatitis or intestinal obstruction are life-threatening conditions that require immediate surgical or outpatient care.

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Hypertonicity of the uterus

Uterine contractions are not a separate disease, they can only indicate the presence of pathologies that can pose a threat to the normal course of pregnancy. Unpleasant sensations that occur during uterine contractions are similar to premenstrual pain or discomfort. If the uterus is in tone, this sometimes causes oxygen deficiency in the fetus, which poses a threat to its growth and development. This condition occurs mainly due to hormonal imbalance, various types of inflammation, abortions, uterine fibroids.

Main symptoms: the lower abdomen is tense, there are nagging pain sensations that can radiate to the lumbar region. The disease is diagnosed by ultrasound, tonusometry, and also based on a doctor's examination. The treatment includes bed rest, adequate sleep and rest, sexual rest, herbal sedatives (for example, sedasene), synthetic analogues of the hormone progesterone, and antispasmodics are prescribed intramuscularly. It should also be remembered that during pregnancy it is necessary to spend more time outdoors, worry less, and minimize any stressful situations. All medications are prescribed by the attending physician after a preliminary examination and consultation.

Flatulence

This disorder can cause discomfort accompanied by tingling, which is most likely due to increased hormone production. Bloating in early pregnancy is not uncommon among pregnant women, often occurs in the 2nd and/or 3rd trimester as a result of the uterus beginning to put pressure on the intestines, which leads to disruptions in its functioning. Bloating is often accompanied by constipation, loss of appetite. In such cases, it is necessary to exclude soda, cabbage, black bread, legumes from the diet, and also avoid overeating, it is better to eat often, but fractionally. Fermented milk products containing lactobacilli will also help reduce gas formation. Of the drugs, it is possible to use the drug Espumisan.

Constipation

Constipation during pregnancy may appear as a result of hormonal fluctuations. Sometimes there is a burning sensation, itching in the rectum, along with abdominal pain, bloating and rumbling may be present. To eliminate constipation, special diets are prescribed, which may include fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, pumpkin, apples, fermented milk products, prunes, you can drink 200 ml of chilled water on an empty stomach. It is not recommended to drink tea, coffee, eat chocolate, flour products, laxatives and physiotherapy are prohibited.

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Natural hormonal and physiological changes in the body

Lower abdominal pain during pregnancy can sometimes be associated with the fact that the abdomen begins to grow, its center of gravity shifts, and the ligaments become softer. This phenomenon is more often observed in women whose critical days were too painful. The pain can radiate to the lumbar region, and usually goes away at about 20 weeks.

Bowel displacement

Bowel displacement often causes lower abdominal pain during pregnancy, accompanied by painful sensations in the left side. Hormonal changes can have a relaxing effect not only on the uterus, but also on the intestines. To eliminate discomfort, you should eat frequently and in small portions.

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Thrush

Candidiasis can appear due to a decrease in the functions of the body's defenses, as a result of which the fungus multiplies and an inflammatory process occurs.

The main symptoms of candidiasis during pregnancy are: itching in the genitals, cheesy white discharge with a characteristic sour smell. Similar symptoms can also be observed in other inflammatory diseases; only a specialist can differentiate the symptoms and prescribe treatment. The disease can worsen as a result of taking antibacterial drugs, immunosuppressants, and corticosteroids.

Ectopic pregnancy

The pain in such a pathology is localized in the lower abdomen, mainly, mostly on the side of the fallopian tube to which the egg is attached, has a pulling character, accompanied by spotting, bleeding. If the pain is sharp and piercing, the abdomen is excessively sensitive to touch, this is a very alarming sign that may indicate an ectopic pregnancy in the early stages. This pathology requires immediate, emergency surgical care.

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Threat of spontaneous abortion

If the pain in the lower abdomen is combined with nagging pain in the lumbar region, seek help from a doctor immediately. Bloody discharge is a very dangerous signal, the pain becomes frequent and sharp. If there is a threat of termination of pregnancy, it is necessary to minimize physical activity, rest more often, sexual rest and bed rest are also recommended.

Lower abdominal pain after childbirth

Such pains can bother even those women who have had a successful birth, without tears, without strong stretching of the perineal tissues. If the baby was born on time, and the birth was successful, the pain in the lower abdomen goes away after two or three days. If during the birth process the tissues were subjected to strong stretching, the tears were stitched, then the painful sensations are a natural reaction of the body to recovery and healing. If the stitches also become inflamed, the body temperature rises, then additional medical consultation and prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs are required, taking into account the possibility of breastfeeding the child.

On average, successful healing of sutures occurs within a week. All other types of pain, such as pain in the coccyx, sacrum, are associated with stretching of muscles and ligaments during labor. In addition, during labor, the pelvic bones are also moved apart. Ideally, after 7-10 days, the painful sensations should go away, if after childbirth the lower abdomen hurts for two weeks, there are problems with urination, you need to see a gynecologist for additional diagnostics and identifying the cause of the pain.

Also, after childbirth, a woman may have pain in the lower abdomen in the pubic area, this phenomenon is associated with injury to the cartilage connecting the pubic bones. They should separate during labor painlessly if the connecting cartilage is elastic, if the cartilage tissue does not stretch well, it is injured, and the process of its recovery after childbirth can cause pain in the lower abdomen. In such cases, special gymnastics and exercises that help restore the previous position of the pubic bones help.

If in the first days after childbirth the pain in the lower abdomen becomes cramping, this indicates the contractile function of the uterus - it returns to its original size and position. In addition, the level of oxytocin in the woman's body begins to increase, especially if the baby is breastfed. Oxytocin stimulates contractile activity, which in turn can cause pain in the lower abdomen. As a rule, such pain lasts 5-7 days, they do not require pain relief.

If the lower abdomen hurts after childbirth, and the pain also spreads to the back, preventing normal movement, you need to see a doctor and have an X-ray of the spine. Perhaps the intervertebral discs were injured during childbirth, and adequate treatment is necessary to restore them, preferably non-drug. Physiotherapy, swimming, or special exercises for the spine can help.

If the painful sensations persist after childbirth for two to three weeks, you need to undergo another thorough examination to identify possible hidden pathology. While the baby is still very small, the mother has a little time to take care of her health and restore her strength after childbirth.

Lower abdominal pain after abortion

This type of pain can be explained by physiological reasons, as well as psychological ones. Any surgical intervention is accompanied by painful sensations, and an abortive termination of pregnancy also has a moral background. If after an abortion the pain in the lower abdomen does not go away within 24 hours, you should consult a gynecologist to rule out an inflammatory process or an even more threatening consequence - perforation of the uterine walls. The most common causes of pain after an abortion are the following:

• The natural process of uterine contraction after surgery.
• Detachment of the fetus from the uterine mucosa.
• Complications after an abortion termination of pregnancy, possible infection, inflammation of the uterine mucosa, which can lead to endometritis.
• Incomplete removal of the fetus - the ovum, which leads to a violation of the contractile function of the uterus, there may be bleeding. This condition requires urgent medical care.
• Pain after an abortion can be caused by sexual contact. It is believed that after surgery, any intimate contact should be stopped until the uterus has completely healed and contracted.
• Intense physical activity and lifting heavy objects can cause lower abdominal pain after an abortion.

If the pain after an abortion persists for more than a day and tends to increase, accompanied by discharge that intensifies and becomes profuse, it is necessary to call an ambulance immediately. Such conditions threaten not only the condition of the pelvic organs, but sometimes the life of a woman.

Pain in the lower abdomen can vary in intensity and duration, it can be short-term, but if it continues for more than a day, especially for a week, this is evidence of a serious illness that is developing and may end in surgical intervention.

What to do if you experience pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy?

This is always a reason to consult a gynecologist, since only a doctor can make the only correct diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment based on the general condition and accompanying symptoms. If you are pregnant, you need to register with a women's clinic and visit a gynecologist at least once every two weeks.