What causes abdominal pain in pregnant women?

Generally speaking, pregnant women are often weak during pregnancy, so various adverse reactions often occur. Abdominal pain during pregnancy is a common symptom. The symptoms of abdominal pain during pregnancy vary from person to person. Some people have a long pain, while others have a shorter pain. So what exactly is going on when pregnant women have abdominal pain?

1) Abdominal pain in early pregnancy

In the early stages of pregnancy, some abdominal pain is physiological, that is, a normal reaction caused by pregnancy, but some is pathological and may indicate the occurrence of crises such as miscarriage.

1. Physiological abdominal pain

In the early stages of pregnancy, many expectant mothers always feel some stomach pain, sometimes accompanied by early pregnancy reactions such as vomiting. This is mainly caused by increased gastric acid secretion in the early stages of pregnancy. At this time, you should pay attention to diet adjustment. The meals should be light and easy to digest. You can eat some toasted steamed bread slices or soda crackers for breakfast. The discomfort will disappear naturally as the first trimester ends.

2. Pathological abdominal pain

If you experience abdominal pain in early pregnancy, especially lower abdominal pain, the first thing you should consider is whether it is a pregnancy complication. Common complications include threatened miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.

2) Abdominal pain during mid-pregnancy

1. Physiological abdominal pain

① Around 4 months of pregnancy, the uterus enlarges and the round ligament of the uterus is stretched, and many expectant mothers will feel some abdominal pain. This type of pain is mostly located on one or both sides of the uterus in the lower abdomen, and is referred pain, dull pain or lack thereof. The pain becomes more obvious when walking a long distance or changing body position. Expectant mothers don’t need to worry, the symptoms can be relieved by resting in bed more.

② Exerting too much force during sexual intercourse in the second trimester can also cause abdominal pain in pregnant women.

2. Pathological abdominal pain

In the second half of pregnancy, the baby gradually grows and the pressure in the expectant mother's abdominal cavity also increases. If the expectant mother's esophageal hiatus (the hole through which the esophagus descends to connect to the stomach) widens, "esophageal hiatal hernia" may occur, causing abdominal pain. At this time, abdominal pain is often accompanied by symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, chest pain, acid reflux, and hiccups. The incidence of hiatal hernia during pregnancy is about 30-50%, and the symptoms are sometimes more obvious in the late pregnancy. Therefore, expectant mothers are advised to: eat small and frequent meals, eat less sweet, spicy, or sticky food; do not lie flat on the bed or lie too low after meals, and try to bend over as little as possible to reduce acid reflux; keep bowel movements open. If you find symptoms of gastric reflux, try to raise your upper body about 20 degrees.

3) Abdominal pain in late pregnancy

In the late pregnancy, as the fetus continues to grow, the burden on the expectant mother's abdomen and body gradually increases. In addition, as delivery is approaching, the frequency of abdominal pain will increase significantly compared to the second trimester.

1. Physiological abdominal pain

①As the baby grows, the expectant mother's uterus also gradually expands. The enlarged uterus constantly stimulates the lower edge of the ribs, which can cause dull rib pain in expectant mothers. Generally speaking, this is physiological and does not require special treatment. Lying on the left side can help relieve pain.

② In the late pregnancy, expectant mothers sometimes experience lower abdominal pain due to false labor when resting at night. The pain usually lasts only a few seconds, with intervals of several hours. It is not accompanied by a feeling of falling, and the symptoms will be relieved during the day.

2. Pathological abdominal pain

① Placental abruption: It often occurs in the late pregnancy. The expectant mother may have pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome, chronic hypertension, or abdominal trauma. Tearing pain in the lower abdomen is a typical symptom, often accompanied by vaginal bleeding. The degree of abdominal pain is affected by a combination of factors such as the size of the abruption area, the amount of blood, the internal pressure of the uterus, and whether the uterine muscle layer is damaged. In severe cases, the abdominal pain is unbearable, the abdomen becomes hard, the fetal movement disappears, and even shock may occur. Therefore, in the late stages of pregnancy, expectant mothers with high blood pressure or abdominal trauma should go to the hospital in time to prevent accidents.

②If the expectant mother suddenly feels persistent severe pain in the lower abdomen, it may be premature birth or threatened uterine rupture. You should go to the hospital for treatment in time and do not delay.

4) Abdominal pain due to non-pregnancy reasons

Some diseases during pregnancy may also cause abdominal pain in expectant mothers, but these diseases are not directly related to pregnancy, such as appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. Because abdominal pain is common during pregnancy, sometimes abdominal pain caused by non-pregnancy reasons is easily ignored by expectant mothers.

Abdominal pain during pregnancy is a common symptom encountered by expectant mothers. Therefore, expectant mothers must pay more attention to it during pregnancy. If abdominal pain occurs, they must go to the hospital immediately for relevant treatment. Don't be careless. At the same time, expectant mothers should pay attention to chewing slowly when eating, avoid overeating, and try to eat less food with high fat content.