Discomfort in the abdominal area duringpregnancy - and especially in its early stages - is a common occurrence. However, abdominal pain in early pregnancy, as well as in late pregnancy, almost always causes serious concern among most pregnant women. And especially those who give birth for the first time. In the vast majority of cases, abdominal pain in early pregnancy is caused by the fact that the body of the expectant mother undergoes certain changes in order to prepare itself for the continuation of pregnancy and childbirth. As a rule, such pain is not too strong - many women compare it to stretching during pregnancy. However, if the pain in the lower abdomen in early pregnancy is too strong, or is accompanied by the following symptoms, you should sound the alarm:
- Chills, fever.
- Headache and / or dizziness.
- Bloody discharge and especially bleeding.
All this, of course, has no physiological significance.is not normal and in all cases indicates serious diseases. In such a case, it is necessary to contact a gynecologist as soon as possible. And in the case of bloody discharge, the expectant mother should immediately lie down - in no case should she go to the doctor on her own. It is necessary to immediately call an ambulance team.
Gynecological problems
Doctors identify a number of common causes of abdominal pain in early pregnancy. To begin with, it is worth excluding those that have a gynecological origin:
- Miscarriage
The most common fear that arisesalmost every woman, when she feels abdominal pain in the early stages of pregnancy - has she lost the baby. And this fear is not so groundless - most often, a miscarriage occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy (or in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy). Bleeding or vaginal bloody discharge are the very first symptoms of a miscarriage. Then there are abdominal cramps, also similar to those that occur during menstruation, but many times stronger. In the event that such symptoms suddenly appear in you, immediately consult a doctor. In no case should you panic, at least for two reasons. Firstly, panic will take away the already precious time in this situation. And secondly, it is harmful for the expectant mother to worry at all. Fortunately, the level of modern medicine is quite high. And if a pregnant woman seeks help in time, in most cases the pregnancy can be saved.
- Ectopic pregnancy
Unfortunately, there is also such a phenomenon asectopic pregnancy. It occurs when the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus in a different place than it should. In some cases, the embryo may attach outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. In rare cases, the embryo may attach in one of the ovaries, the cervix, or even in the abdominal cavity. If this happens, it is called an ectopic pregnancy. It is simply impossible to save an ectopic pregnancy - when the fetus begins to increase in size, the cavity in which it is attached will rupture - most often this is the fallopian tube. An ectopic pregnancy is dangerous and poses a serious threat to a woman's life, so medical intervention is simply necessary. If a woman develops symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, she should consult a gynecologist as soon as possible. Symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include abdominal pain, bloody discharge, and then, if the tube ruptures, heavy bleeding, back pain, dizziness. At the very beginning, the abdominal pain is not particularly intense, but as the fetus grows, it becomes stronger and stronger. And if the tube bursts, it is even possible to develop pain shock. Therefore, do not delay in contacting a doctor - the sooner the better. Otherwise, there will be many more problems.
Other reasons
Of course, pregnancy changes a lotthe condition of the body of the expectant mother. However, do not forget that abdominal pain in the early stages can be caused by other reasons that have nothing to do with pregnancy. And it is also very important to remember this:
- Appendicitis
Appendicitis during pregnancy can causeknow about yourself at any stage. But why - as doctors note, most often it happens at the beginning of pregnancy. The symptoms of appendicitis are simple - this is pain in the right side of the lower abdomen. Almost always there is also nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. In order to distinguish appendicitis from an ectopic pregnancy, you may need to do an ultrasound. If you are faced with such a diagnosis, you should not be particularly afraid - today, performing an operation to remove appendicitis is not a problem for surgeons. And, of course, your baby will not suffer in any way - neither from anesthesia, nor from the surgical manipulations themselves.
- Urinary tract infection
Urinary tract infection in early pregnancypregnancy is very, very common. And, of course, it is unlikely to do without pain in the lower abdomen. In addition, the following symptoms may appear: cutting and burning during urination, pain not only in the abdomen, but also in the lower back, an increase in body temperature - from insignificant numbers to quite high. Treatment should be started as soon as possible so as not to neglect the disease. And the treatment should be qualified! In no case should you take any drugs without a doctor's prescription. Even if they helped your friend, mother or aunt. Firstly, you need a special course of treatment that will not harm your baby and completely eliminate the disease. Otherwise, it will simply go deep into the body and periodically ruin the life of the expectant mother.
- Ovarian cyst
In the event that a woman has before pregnancythere was a cyst, abdominal pain may be associated with it. Rupture of an ovarian cyst or twisting of its stalk will cause severe abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the lower back. The pain occurs suddenly - many women who have encountered such a situation describe it as a stab. In most cases, the pain is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sweating. Moreover, the sweat that appears is quite specific - cold and sticky. In general, the symptoms of a cyst are very similar to the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy. In order to correctly diagnose the disease, the doctor will conduct an ultrasound examination.
- Constipation
During pregnancy, a woman's bodyundergoes serious hormonal changes that affect all internal organs without exception. This also applies to the digestive tract. Constipation, which can make a woman feel pain in the lower abdomen, is not uncommon in expectant mothers. Other reasons In addition to the above reasons, which are very, very common, a woman may feel abdominal pain in the early stages of pregnancy due to other reasons, such as: kidney infections, gallstone disease, heartburn, gastritis, pancreatitis.
Conclusion
And finally, I would like to reassure you once againexpectant mothers. Although in some cases there may indeed be serious medical reasons for abdominal pain during pregnancy, in most cases the discomfort is caused by quite harmless natural physiological reasons. For example, due to stretching of the uterus, uterine ligaments or banal flatulence - intestinal colic. However, in case of serious discomfort, or if the pain is accompanied by bleeding or bloody discharge, seek medical help immediately. However, your doctor should also know about minor ailments. It is much wiser to play it safe than to miss a really serious problem. We wish you a happy pregnancy, easy delivery and good health for your baby. And, of course, yours! We recommend reading:
