Causes of abdominal pain during pregnancy

Various situations will occur from the early to mid-pregnancy. As the fetus in the abdomen gradually grows, the belly will also become very large. The mid-pregnancy is the most difficult time. Many pregnant mothers will experience abdominal pain in the mid-pregnancy and are afraid of hurting the baby in the belly. So what is the reason why pregnant women always have abdominal pain in the mid-pregnancy? Let us now understand abdominal pain in mid-pregnancy.

Abdominal pain in mid-pregnancy: Physiological abdominal pain

Abdominal pain during pregnancy is a common physical reaction among pregnant women. Some of the pain is physiological and does not require treatment, while others are pathological and require vigilance and timely treatment.

Physiological abdominal pain

When you are four or five months pregnant, your belly will suddenly grow bigger, and then your skin will feel tight, and you will feel a dull pulling pain in your abdomen after exercise. For some pregnant women, the enlarged uterus constantly stimulates the lower edge of the ribs, which may cause dull rib pain or pain due to relaxation and separation of the pubic symphysis. These conditions are normal physiological reactions after pregnancy and do not require special treatment. Pay attention to rest and you can also relieve pain by sleeping on your left side. Exercising too hard during sexual intercourse in the second trimester can also cause abdominal pain in pregnant women.

Abdominal pain in mid-pregnancy: pathological abdominal pain

1. Hiatal hernia and reflux esophagitis

There is a group of muscles between the human chest and abdominal cavity, called the diaphragm. There is a hiatus in the central part of the diaphragm. The esophagus passes through this hiatus and connects to the stomach. This hiatus is called the esophageal hiatus. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, as the fetus grows, the intra-abdominal pressure increases. If the hiatus widens, the bottom of the stomach can be pushed into the chest cavity through the widened esophageal hiatus. This is medically called a hiatal hernia. Because the upper opening of the stomach is loose, gastric acid, gas, and food in the stomach can reflux into the esophagus or mouth. Reflux esophagitis occurs when gastric acid irritates the esophageal mucosa. This can cause abdominal pain in pregnant mothers. This happens occasionally.

2. Late miscarriage

Late miscarriage mainly refers to abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The process of late miscarriage is similar to childbirth. First there are waves of abdominal pain due to uterine contractions, and then placental detachment and bleeding. Therefore, the condition is more serious than early miscarriage, but late miscarriage generally occurs less frequently.

3. Ovarian cyst torsion

Common ovarian tumors during pregnancy include corpus luteum cysts, teratoma cysts or other cysts. Only a few pregnant women will find out that their cysts are malignant tumors during pregnancy. In the early, late or early second trimester of pregnancy, because the uterus and its appendages enter the abdominal cavity, cyst torsion is more likely to occur. When torsion occurs, arterial blood can still enter the cyst, but venous blood cannot leave the cyst, causing the cyst to swell or even necrotize, causing the pregnant mother to experience intermittent lower abdominal pain on one side, accompanied by nausea, vomiting and exhaustion.

4. Severe uterine torsion

When a woman is pregnant, if the uterus has uterine fibroids, congenital malformations, or ovarian tumors and causes the uterus to twist more than 90 degrees, it may cause acute abdominal pain; in severe cases, it may also cause shock to the pregnant mother or distress to the fetus. As for the abdominal pain caused by mild uterine torsion, it can be improved by resting in bed, taking painkillers and changing the pregnant mother's posture. If it is severe, it can only be corrected by laparotomy. If the fetus is mature, a cesarean section can also be performed at the same time.

The above description is all about abdominal pain in mid-pregnancy. I believe that all expectant mothers will have a deep understanding of abdominal pain after reading this. In addition, pregnant mothers in mid-pregnancy should pay attention to their diet. Improper diet can also cause abdominal pain. Pay attention to protein supplementation in the diet, and pay attention to the reasonable combination of meat and vegetables. Do not overeat, and go outdoors when appropriate.