Why do I get belly cramps during pregnancy?

It is very common for pregnant women to suffer from cramps during the delivery period. Whether the abdominal pain will affect the baby is a problem that pregnant women are very worried about. In most cases, it is not a big deal and there is no need to worry too much, but pregnant women should not relax their vigilance about their cramps and should consult a professional doctor whether this is related to pregnancy-related complications. So, what exactly causes pregnancy cramps?

This is mostly due to calcium deficiency in pregnant women. After a woman becomes pregnant, her demand for calcium increases due to the growth and development of the fetus, placenta, etc. Especially after 7 months of pregnancy, the calcium requirement increases greatly due to the accelerated calcification of teeth and bones. In addition, pregnant women themselves also need to store calcium in the late stages of pregnancy to prepare for the need to secrete milk.

After 7 months of pregnancy, pregnant women need to store 20-30 mg of calcium every day. The daily calcium intake of pregnant women should be 1500 mg. However, according to our usual eating habits in China, we can only get about 400 mg of calcium every day. Therefore, if pregnant women do not pay attention to calcium supplementation, it may lead to low blood calcium, causing muscle spasms and cramps in the hands and feet.

The main source of calcium is diet, so pregnant women should pay attention to choosing foods rich in calcium, such as milk, dried shrimps, kelp, white fungus, soybeans, tofu, green beans, watermelon seeds, walnut kernels, pumpkin seeds, rapeseed, shepherd's purse, etc. Onions, spinach, wild rice stem, bamboo shoots, etc. contain a lot of calcium, but they also contain more oxalic acid. When oxalic acid combines with calcium to form calcium oxalate, it is not easily absorbed by the human body. Therefore, pregnant women should eat less of these vegetables. In addition, adding vinegar during cooking can also help the absorption of calcium. For example, adding vinegar to bone soup can dissolve the calcium in the bones into the soup.

In addition, pregnant women should get some sun exposure for at least half an hour every day to get enough vitamin D. Lack of vitamin D can reduce calcium absorption and also cause calcium deficiency. Vitamin D medication can be added if necessary.

After reading this article, expectant mothers should know the causes of cramps. Many people blindly take calcium supplements when they suffer from cramps. We need to distinguish the symptoms and pay attention to cramps during pregnancy. It should also be noted that keeping the abdomen warm is also very important, which is related to the health and smooth delivery of the fetus.