Stomach pain during sleep during late pregnancy

A woman's physical health and living conditions during pregnancy are very critical, especially in the late pregnancy. The placenta will easily undergo some changes in the late pregnancy. As the fetus grows, the woman's lower abdomen will easily become hard, or the uterus will become larger. It is also a common phenomenon to have abdominal pain at night during sleep in the late pregnancy. This may be normal physiological pain or it may be caused by pathology.

What causes stomach pain when sleeping at night during late pregnancy?

Causes of abdominal pain in early pregnancy

In the early stages of pregnancy, some abdominal pains are physiological, that is, normal reactions caused by pregnancy, but some are pathological and may indicate the occurrence of crises such as miscarriage.

1. Physiological stomach pain

In the early stages of pregnancy, many expectant mothers always feel some stomach pain, sometimes accompanied by early pregnancy reactions such as vomiting. This is mainly caused by increased gastric acid secretion in the early stages of pregnancy. At this time, you should pay attention to diet adjustment. The meals should be light and easy to digest. You can eat some toasted steamed bread slices or soda crackers for breakfast. The discomfort will disappear naturally as the first trimester ends.

2. Pathological stomach pain

If a pregnant woman experiences paroxysmal lower abdominal pain or regular abdominal pain, back pain, or pelvic pain in the first few months of pregnancy, the problem may be more complicated. If it is accompanied by vaginal spotting or a noticeable feeling of abdominal heaviness, it may indicate threatened miscarriage. Expectant mothers should move less, stay in bed more, avoid sexual intercourse, avoid lifting heavy objects, drink water, and seek medical attention promptly. If pain worsens or bleeding continues, seek medical attention immediately.

If you experience severe unilateral lower abdominal pain, accompanied by vaginal bleeding or fainting, it may be an ectopic pregnancy and you should go to the hospital immediately. Some expectant mothers believe that abdominal pain in the early stages of pregnancy may be accidental and it is not a big deal and they just need to lie down in bed and rest. This blind measure of bed rest to protect the fetus is not advisable. You should go to the hospital for examination and treatment in time to avoid delaying the disease.

What should pregnant women do if they have stomach pain at night?

If a pregnant woman has stomach pain when sleeping at night, she should first clarify whether the stomach pain is caused by uterine contraction or gastrointestinal problem. If the stomach is hard when it hurts, it is probably uterine contraction. If it is not hard, it should be a gastrointestinal problem. Pregnant women with abdominal pain should not overwork, relax, prevent premature birth, and see a doctor if necessary. You should go to the hospital if your abdominal pain is accompanied by:

1. Hardening of the lower abdomen: In the late pregnancy, as the uterus expands, irregular uterine contractions may occur, almost without pain. The characteristic is that they often occur frequently at night and disappear the next morning. These are called physiological uterine contractions and will not cause premature birth. If the lower abdomen repeatedly becomes soft and hard and the muscles also feel hard and swollen, and there is at least one contraction every 10 minutes that lasts for more than 30 seconds, accompanied by a shortening of the cervical canal, then it is a sign of premature birth, and you should go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible.

2. Vaginal bleeding: A small amount of bleeding is one of the signs of labor, but sometimes vaginal bleeding can occur due to cervical inflammation, placenta previa, and placental abruption. If the amount of bleeding is large, you should go to the hospital for examination immediately.

3. Water rupture: The outflow of warm water-like liquid is early water rupture. But in general, contractions start immediately after water rupture. At this time, you can raise your buttocks, it is best to lie flat and go to the hospital immediately.

4. Other persistent or severe abdominal pain.