Will I have stomach pain during pregnancy?

Stomach pain is the most typical symptom of stomach disease. The incidence of this type of disease is relatively high. Generally, as long as you take good care of yourself, the problem is not serious. However, stomach pain in pregnant women will attract attention. After all, it is easy to show various pregnancy reactions after pregnancy, and it is not clear whether stomach pain is a normal reaction during pregnancy. So, will pregnancy cause stomach pain? What are the causes of stomach pain during pregnancy?

Stomach pain in pregnant women may be caused by sphincter relaxation leading to stomach acid reflux, uterus pressing on the stomach, hormonal stimulation, or unhealed stomach disease before pregnancy.

1. Sphincter relaxation causes stomach acid to reflux. The sphincter is located at the junction of the esophagus and the stomach. Its function is to allow food to enter the stomach smoothly and not come back up. After pregnancy, due to hormonal changes, the sphincter relaxes, making it easy for food to come up again. The acidic contents in the stomach will reflux from the stomach into the esophagus, throat and mouth, irritating the mucous membrane and causing stomach pain. The growing uterus can also put pressure on the stomach, making it easier for stomach acid to surge upward and cause a burning sensation in the chest.

2. The uterus presses on the stomach. In the late stages of pregnancy, the gradually enlarging uterus will exert a certain amount of pressure on various organs, so the stomach may be affected. As the gestational age increases, there may also be mild shortness of breath, also due to uterine compression.

3. Hormone stimulation. After pregnancy, the pregnant woman's blood hCG rises rapidly, which will irritate the stomach and cause vomiting in the pregnant woman.

4. The stomach disease before pregnancy has not been cured. The pregnant woman had stomach problems before she became pregnant, and due to improper diet during pregnancy, she developed stomach pain. If the pregnant woman has stomach problems, or cannot distinguish between gastritis and stomach burning pain caused by pregnancy, it is recommended to go to the hospital to prevent the gastritis from getting worse. In addition, if vomiting is severe and some symptoms of acidosis appear, you should go to the hospital for treatment in time.

Symptoms of stomach pain in pregnant women

Due to hormonal changes and pressure from the uterus, pregnant women's stomach digestion function will be reduced, resulting in symptoms such as excessive stomach acid, nausea, and pain. The specific symptoms of stomach pain in pregnant women are:

1. Location of pain

The stomach is located in the upper abdomen, in the depression below the sternum and above the navel (close to the pit of the heart). If the abdomen is divided into four areas, pain in the upper middle part of the left side is most likely stomach pain. However, it may also be caused by diseases of the esophagus, duodenum, gallbladder, etc., so the duration of pain, accompanying symptoms, etc. need to be used as criteria for judgment.

2. Pain duration

Stomach pain occurs after or before meals, after eating certain foods, or when you are too hungry or too full. Stomach pain in pregnant women usually occurs in the early and late stages of pregnancy. In the early stages of pregnancy, due to hormonal changes, the sphincter relaxes and food can easily come up, causing pregnant women to experience stomach acid and vomiting. During late pregnancy, the growing uterus puts pressure on the stomach, causing stomach acid to bubble up and cause a burning sensation in the chest. If these stomach discomforts are not treated promptly and the situation worsens, they can cause pregnant women to feel stomach pain.

3. Associated symptoms

Stomach discomfort is usually accompanied by some other symptoms. Stomach discomfort in pregnant women is often manifested as hiccups, bloating, nausea, vomiting, chest tightness, etc. If accompanied by symptoms such as chest tightness, heartburn, vomiting acid, and hiccups, it may be an esophageal disease; if accompanied by symptoms such as pain on an empty stomach, bloating and hunger pain, sour hiccups, or even vomiting blood, it may be a gastric ulcer, and must be carefully distinguished.