Pain in the lower abdomen, small or strong, is common during pregnancy. If they are generally benign, they can be more serious if they are associated with other pathologies. When do they start? What are the causes and how to relieve them? Answers and advice.
THE lower abdomen pain, also called pelvic pain, are common during pregnancy. They are enough common in early pregnancy, and most often not serious. In some cases, the pregnant woman may feel small pains or strong pain in the lower abdomen, “in the area below the abdomen and between the hips (pelvis)”say Dr. Emily E. Bunce and Robert P. Heine in the health journal MSD Manuals. They sometimes make certain daily movements and gestures difficult for the future mother. From when do the tightness of pregnancy ? What is the pain in the lower abdomen at the end of pregnancy? What are the causes ? And how to relieve them? Response items.
When does pregnancy tightness start?
From the first trimester of pregnancythe pregnant woman may experience tightness in the lower abdomenwhich can be uncomfortable.
THE abdominal pain felt in lower abdomen during pregnancy can take different forms: dull, intense, like cramps, tightness or even be acute. The type of pain will help guide the diagnosis. Often, these pains are not pathological and mainly correspond to ligament pain, related to the increase in volume of the uterus. They then look like tightness and are common in early pregnancy. They may look like period pains.
At the end of pregnancy, nearing term, pelvic pain may be related to uterine contact, meaning an imminent delivery. They are localized at the level of the lower abdomen and are diffuse. The pain can be very strong, like sharp period pain.
To relieve pelvic pain during pregnancy, rest in a lying position can reduce tightness and pain. There hot water bottle also can help the lower abdomen area to relax and soothe pain. On the other hand, it is not recommended to self-medicate without the advice of a doctor. “Whatever the type of pain encountered during pregnancy, it is strongly advised not to take medication without medical advice. The opinion of a midwife is a good way to be reassured. Rest is one of the best ways to avoid mechanical abdominal pain“, advises Dr Anne-Christine Della Valle, general practitioner.
“Rest is one of the best ways to avoid mechanical abdominal pain.”
What Causes Lower Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy?
First trimester of pregnancy
The pathologies associated with abdominal pain during the first trimester are mainly ectopic pregnancythere miscarriage or the torsion of an ovarian cyst.
Ectopic pregnancy corresponds to the implantation of the egg outside the uterus, generally in a fallopian tube. It is a medico-surgical emergency because it can lead to internal bleeding by rupture of the fallopian tube, which can be fatal for the mother. Symptoms are strong and persistent abdominal pain, lateralized to the right or left, vaginal bleeding, dizziness or even fainting. The frequency of ectopic pregnancies observed with a copper IUD is between 0.2 and 2 per 100.
Spontaneous miscarriage, frequent during the first trimester, corresponds to the expulsion of the fetus. Symptoms are abdominal cramps and pain, heavy bleeding and disappearance of pregnancy symptoms.
One of the complications of ovarian cysts is torsion of the cyst, which requires emergency surgery. The ovaries, located on each side of the uterus, are connected to it by a pedicle which is made up of nerves, blood vessels and ligaments. When torsion occurs, the ovary performs a total or partial rotation around the pedicle, resulting in the appearance of violent pain in the lower abdomen. This is a surgical emergency because torsion can cause necrosis of the ovary.
Second trimester of pregnancy
In the second trimester of pregnancy, these risks are rarer and abdominal pain may be linked to ectopic pathologies like a appendicitisa constipation or others digestive disorders.
Third trimester of pregnancy
In the third trimesterTHE abdominal pain of pregnancy are often related to uterine contractions. Normally, these pregnancy contractions are not painful. If the term is not yet close and they become painful, we can fear a threat of premature delivery and it is necessary to consult an obstetrician or a midwife, urgently. Urinary tract infection, common during pregnancy, can cause pelvic pain in all trimesters of pregnancy.
Brown discharge and pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy
If pain in the lower abdomen is accompanied by brown or brownish discharge during pregnancy, this may be a sign of a complication. In more serious cases, it can be a sign of miscarriage, especially if the discharge is heavy and the pelvic pain very sharp. In both cases, you should quickly consult your practitioner.
Pregnant, when to consult in case of pain in the lower abdomen?
It is always better to consult in the face of pelvic pain during pregnancy. Even if they are most often benign, a simple clinical examination may be enough to be sure. In general, abdominal and pelvic pain should be explored by a pregnancy ultrasound in order to ensure the good vitality of the fetus and the normal evolution of the pregnancy. From the second trimester of pregnancy, we also offer monitoring to ascertain any fetal distress. In the slightest doubt, we can also carry out a biological assessment and a cytobacteriological examination of the urine.