What causes a hard stomach in late pregnancy?

Many women will experience a hard stomach in the late stages of pregnancy. There are many reasons for this, including an infection, premature birth, uterine contractions, etc. When this situation occurs, people need to pay special attention to it. Below we will explain in detail why the belly becomes hard in the late pregnancy.

Causes of a hard belly during late pregnancy

1. Infection and others

Some hard abdomens are caused by premature labor, while premature birth is mostly caused by infection, such as amnionitis, as well as reproductive tract, intestinal and urinary tract infections. In addition, frequent fetal movements may also cause the lower abdomen to become tight, hard, and painful. Here, pregnant women are advised to choose to lie on their left side to increase blood flow to the uterus and placenta and reduce the chance of uterine contractions. At the same time, it is best not to have sexual intercourse in the late pregnancy to reduce the possibility of urinary tract infection.

2. Premature Birth

This refers to the premature delivery of the fetus. At this time, the pregnant woman may experience uterine contractions, which is the symptom of the lower abdomen becoming tight, hard, and painful. If you experience a hard stomach 2-3 times every ten minutes and it lasts for more than half a minute, or if there is some bloody discharge from the vagina, it may be a sign of threatened miscarriage and it is recommended that you get checked out immediately. If the cervix is ​​found to have dilated to more than 2cm, premature birth is inevitable.

3. False labor in late pregnancy

These are irregular and weak contractions that mainly occur at night and may disappear during the day. Compared to analgesia during labor, the intervals are shorter and more irregular. Pregnant women basically do not feel any discomfort during this type of uterine contraction. Some pregnant women who are sensitive to pain may mistakenly think that they are uterine contractions before labor. Therefore, clinically, one-third of threatened premature labor is not real labor, but a misunderstanding of the pregnant women.

4. It may be that labor pains are coming

If this situation recurs regularly near your due date, it means you are about to experience labor pains. The "151 rule" can be used to distinguish here: the duration of uterine contractions is greater than one minute, the interval is equal to or less than five minutes, and this situation lasts for more than one hour. If so, please go to the hospital immediately because this is the labor pain before delivery.

Is it normal to have a hard belly in late pregnancy?

A hard abdomen in late pregnancy is mostly due to false labor, which mainly occurs after 28 weeks of pregnancy. This problem is likely to occur if pregnant women maintain the same posture for too long, such as sitting or standing for a long time. This problem occurs at irregular times and with varying degrees of severity. As the due date approaches, the baby's head will sink, the uterus will be stimulated, and false contractions will occur frequently. However, this is a normal reaction, so pregnant women do not need to worry too much if there is no pain. However, if the above situation occurs frequently and you are unable to determine the cause, it is best to seek medical attention in time.