Abdominal pain in pregnancy

During pregnancy, the work of the body systems changes. In order for the child to develop normally the amount of circulating blood increases, the yellow body suppresses the immunity of the pregnant woman, in the abdominal cavity the growing uterus displaces neighboring organs. All these factors affect well-being.

Often, doctors are asked if the abdomen hurts during pregnancy, the answer is yes. Many women, especially the primiparous, during pregnancy feel minor pain in the abdomen, which are expressed after physical activity or sudden movement.

This is associated with the stretching of the muscles holding the uterus. However, if the abdomen hurts during pregnancy, then the growing fruit is not always the reason.

How pregnancy affects the body

In order for a woman to be able to tolerate a healthy child, nature has provided for some changes. For example, that the body does not attack the embryo, the yellow body produces hormones that suppress the immune function. To avoid tonus of the muscles of the uterus, prostaglandins, placental lactogen, oxytocin are secreted. They have a relaxing effect on smooth muscle fibers.

Hormones affect not only the uterus, there are atony and other organs, for example, the gall bladder, sphincter. This provokes changes in their work. Therefore, when abdominal pain occurs during pregnancy, you should consult a specialist and find out the exact cause of the ailment.

If a woman is diagnosed with pathology, during the gestation period, they are likely to exacerbate and cause temporary discomfort or will pose a threat to the normal development of the baby.

In case of exacerbation of a chronic illness, the pregnant woman can not always recognize it, as the location of the abdominal organs changes, and the nature of the pain may change. Sometimes the abdomen hurts during pregnancy, not as a result of the dysfunction of any organ, but the growing uterus causes the neighbors to make room, which leads to some discomfort.

Possible causes of discomfort

If the abdomen hurts during pregnancy, many fear that this is the beginning of a spontaneous abortion. But if there is no threat of miscarriage, in most cases this is the usual indigestion of the stomach, which appears due to an unbalanced diet. The use of certain foods may adversely affect the motor function of the intestine, this leads to spasm and aching pain in the lower abdomen.

It is possible that the pulling pains in the lower abdomen during pregnancy result in natural changes taking place in the body. Namely:

• muscle stretching;
• pressure on organs;
• fetal movement;
• change in diet.

If the abdomen is hurting, the pregnant woman should undergo a test to find out the cause of

. After the twentieth week of gestation, abdominal pain arises from the infant's motor activity. It is accompanied by heartburn, heaviness in the stomach, lack of appetite. During pregnancy, the taste preferences of a woman may change.

And if the future mother has an irresistible desire to eat butter with spoons or to drink milk in liters, then doctors advise to satisfy the need, of course, within the framework of reasonable. It is believed that the human body at a subconscious level reports what micronutrients and vitamins it lacks and where they can be taken.

The use of increased amounts of certain foods or incompatible products can provoke a metabolic disorder, increased gas formation, accelerated peristalsis, changes in the intestinal microflora. All this leads to the appearance of unpleasant sensations.

Why the abdomen hurts during pregnancy, it will be possible to find out only the doctor after carrying out of laboratory research. If blood and urine tests do not show abnormalities, then you should not worry. Pregnant need to rest more, avoid negative emotions and eat right.

Intestinal motility improving drugs that help reduce gassing

can help pregnant women.

is needed when needed. The growing uterus presses on the neighboring organs of the excretory and digestive system. This affects the work of the intestines, bladder, liver, gallbladder, so aching pain in the abdomen during pregnancy is rare, but is a symptom. To hurt the abdomen during pregnancy can be in different parts( top and bottom).The character of the pain differs, it is divided into aching, stitching, pulling, cramping.

Intestinal infection

In pregnancy, the immunity of a woman is significantly reduced. It is necessary that antibodies do not attack the fetus. Since immunity is weakened, it is less able to resist foreign viral or bacterial agents. Accordingly, a pregnant woman has more chances of catching an intestinal infection, the first sign of which is considered to be abdominal pain.

Symptoms of poisoning:

• dizziness;
• nausea, vomiting;
• headache;
• diarrhea;
• pressure change;
• fever, chills;
• drawing pain in the abdomen.

Appendicitis

In pregnancy, the risk of inflammation of the appendix increases. As the enlarged uterus presses on the intestine, this leads to a worsening of blood circulation in the appendix, its edema and inflammation.

Another reason for the development of appendicitis is called increased production of progesterone. This hormone relaxes smooth muscles, including the intestines.

Because of its action, food is delayed, constipation appears. Stool stones can clog the lumen of the appendix, which will cause its inflammation.

Abdominal pain with appendicitis is quite strong and in the first stage of the disease it is spread all over the stomach. Only after a few hours it is localized in the right side. In addition to the pain syndrome, the following symptoms appear:

• fever;
• pain is more intense when straining the muscles of the peritoneum;
• nausea, vomiting;
• disorder of stools.

If the appendix is ​​located near the bladder, then there are signs of cystitis. When the appendix is ​​inflamed, the abdomen has a pain in pregnancy, since the appendix is ​​located behind the uterus.

Diagnosis of the disease is somewhat difficult, because ultrasound is not informative, and X-rays are not used. To diagnose the doctor, the patient's stomach is palpating, will collect anamnesis and will review the results of laboratory tests.

Cystitis

Pain in the abdomen during pregnancy is possible due to inflammation of the bladder. Every tenth pregnant woman has cystitis. The disease is associated with an increase in bacterial microflora, since the general and local immunity is reduced, and is unable to adequately withstand the bacteria.

The causative agent of infectious cystitis is opportunistic bacteria( E. coli, staphylococcus, vaginal trichomonads, mycoplasmas, streptococci, chlamydia).To develop pathology can and with drug therapy, when altered substances are excreted in the urine and irritate the tissues of the bladder.

Inflammation causes and hypothermia of the body, for example, sitting on the cold. Symptoms of cystitis:

• frequent urge to urinate;
• when the urine passes through the urethra, the patient feels a burning sensation;
• in the urine may be present;
• urine is turbid with a strong odor;
• hyperthermia;
• pressure in the lower abdomen.

If the lower abdomen hurts, then you can not apply heat

Do not confuse frequent urge in the toilet, which are normal in pregnancy, with cystitis. In the absence of pathology, the pregnant woman does not feel burning and discomfort when releasing the bladder.

Pancreatitis

Probable abdominal pain during pregnancy due to inflammation of the pancreas. Most often there is an exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, but its occurrence is not excluded. The cause of the pathology is malnutrition, chronic pathology of the digestive organs or diabetes mellitus, hereditary predisposition.

During pregnancy, the abdomen is very sore, since the pancreas experiences severe overloads associated with the hormonal background of the woman, and also because of the squeezing of the organ by the increasing uterus and its displacement to the side.

Signs of pancreatitis:

• nausea, vomiting;
• subfebrile temperature;
• pain on the left under the rib. They are shrouded in character;
• stool disorder.

For the treatment of pancreatitis, doctors prescribe a strict diet for several days to reduce the functional load on the gland. Do not do without medication. It will take enzyme preparations, agents for improving peristalsis, cholagogue medicines.

Cholecystitis

Pain at the top of the abdomen during pregnancy is possible due to inflammation of the gallbladder. Sometimes the disease worsens under the influence of adverse factors, and sometimes develops due to hormonal adjustment, stagnation of bile, the formation of stones or the infection that has joined.

There are also congenital anomalies of the gallbladder, for example, dyskinesia, bends or improper arrangement of the organ. This occurs often enough and does not cause any inconvenience before conception, but when the child is born, due to natural changes in the body, the disease manifests itself. That is, pregnancy leads to an aggravation of the process, and does not provoke it.

A growing child causes the abdominal organs to make room. The liver with the gall bladder is also slightly shifted. Bile does not pass into the ducts, but stagnates, which contributes to the appearance of stones and inflammation.

If the bile does not arrive in sufficient quantities in the intestine, it leads to a violation of digestion, slowing the evacuation of food and the proliferation of microorganisms, which affect the development of gallbladder inflammation.

With an exacerbation of cholecystitis, the pregnant woman complains of worsening of health, nausea after consuming fried or fatty foods. There is a heaviness in the right hypochondrium, pain can spread and be felt in the scapula or right arm. With the disease, the skin acquires a yellowish tinge, which is caused by a deterioration in the outflow of bile and circulation of bilirubin in the bloodstream.

Liver diseases

When pregnancy increases the amount of circulating blood, and accordingly, the liver experiences more stress. If a woman is forced to take medication to treat a worsening disease and she has serious illnesses that affect the gland's work, the liver can not cope.

For example, if a pregnant woman suffers from hypertension, suffered respiratory diseases and was forced to take tetracycline, that is, the likelihood of developing hepatic fatty degeneration.

Symptoms of the disease are nonspecific( nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice) and begin to worry at late pregnancy. In the case of a violation of liver function, the abdominal upper abdomen during pregnancy is very painful.

What should I do?

Probable cause of abdominal pain in pregnancy obstetric pathology, which threatens the child's life. Possible separation of the placenta, spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy. Severe pain is an urgent reason to seek medical help. Of course, stomach ache in a pregnant woman can result from the development of pathologies completely unrelated to pregnancy.

Of course, if a pregnant woman has a lower abdominal pain, she should go to the clinic and conduct a diagnosis so that the doctor can diagnose and tell what to do in order to eliminate the symptom. It is important for a pregnant woman to avoid stress, so do not panic with abdominal pain and assume the worst possible option.

First of all, if the abdomen is slightly painful during pregnancy, then it is worth remembering what it was eating and whether it could cause indigestion and flatulence. If pain occurs only after certain foods, then you need to exclude them from the diet.

Determine where the stomach hurts, and what kind of character this pain is. If it is pulling, non-intensive and short-lived, then, most likely, it is harmless for neither the future mother, nor for her child, but nevertheless it is worth talking about unpleasant sensations to the doctor at a scheduled visit.

As a rule, diarrhea, vomiting or constipation occurs in diseases of the digestive system, which is almost not the case with obstetrical pathologies

. If the abdominal pain in pregnant women is much stronger than with menstruation and they do not decrease with a change in body position, bleeding occurs, the temperature rises, then you need to call an ambulance.

A future mother needs to adhere to a diet and limit the use of heavy, fatty or spicy foods, as well as products that cause increased gas production. Normal exercise is also important for normal digestion.

If there were pains in the abdomen in pregnant women, do not try to eliminate them with the help of traditional medicine. It is recommended to consult a doctor to understand why the symptom occurred. And if discomfort does not threaten the health of the future mother or the health of her child, it is her business to drink or not drink prescribed medications.

But it happens that during pregnancy the stomach hurts because of a serious pathology, which requires surgical intervention or drug therapy. In this case, the earlier the patient turns to the doctor, the less the risk of complications.