Does false labor cause abdominal pain?

False labor is a common condition during pregnancy, especially in the late pregnancy, when the frequency of false labor is particularly high. False labor can cause symptoms such as a falling and hardening of the abdomen, but not all false labor will cause abdominal pain in the patient. Therefore, if stomach pain occurs, patients still need to go to the hospital for examination and treatment in time.

1. Reasons

In the weeks before delivery, the uterine muscles are more sensitive and there will be irregular uterine contractions that are short-lived, weak, or limited to the lower abdomen or groin area. If it stops after several hours, it will not cause the cervix to open or the fetal head to descend, so it is not labor and is called false labor. This type of contraction is irregular, non-cyclical, and painless. Some pregnant women can even feel irregular uterine contractions during the second trimester. It is more common in multiparas than in primiparas.

2. Clinical manifestations

1. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, as the enlarged uterus begins to descend and the descent of the fetal head increases the pressure on the pelvis, pregnant women often feel their abdomen falling and their backs unable to straighten. Starting from the 28th week of pregnancy, false labor contractions will often occur in the abdomen. If a pregnant woman stands or sits in the same posture for a long time, she will feel her abdomen hardening from time to time. This is called false labor.

2. A few weeks before delivery, the uterine muscles are more sensitive and irregular uterine contractions will occur, which are short-lived, weak, or limited to the lower part of the uterus. It stops after several hours and cannot cause the cervix to open, so it is not labor and is called false labor.

3. Before delivery, false labor will become more and more frequent due to the traction stimulation of the lower part of the uterus caused by the descending fetal head.

3. Ways to relieve discomfort

Change activity or posture. Sometimes walking can relieve discomfort, and sometimes resting can relieve false labor. (If these are real labor contractions, they will not stop no matter what you do, but will gradually intensify).

Take a hot bath and relax your body.

Drink several glasses of water, as false labor can sometimes be caused by dehydration.

Try relaxation exercises, or taking slow, deep breaths. While this won't stop the false labor, it may help you cope with the uncomfortable feeling.