Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy

If you’re pregnant and experiencing pain in your abdominal area it might not be a reason for panic or a quick trip to the doctor. However, if severe cramping and pain is taking place is this area, you just might want to get in the car and head over to your doctor’s office. If the pain is too severe for you to leave your home or location, call your doctor immediately and ask if they can come over, or if there’s another way to meet, such as calling 911. Because the pain is in the same area as your pelvis, ovaries, and vagina, it’s important that your doctor determines the cause of your abdominal pain in order to treat it.

Causes of Abdominal Pain

There are many different causes of pain within your abdominal area. Abdominal pain can happen early in the pregnancy, later in the pregnancy, or throughout the pregnancy. Regardless of when it’s happening, it’s where it’s happening that should be a cause of concern. Causes of abdominal pain can be due to:

• Implantation- Occurring very early in the pregnancy, implantation is when the embryo is attaching itself the uterine lining.
• Stretching of Ligaments- When your ligaments stretch, such as with Round Ligament Pain, it can cause major pains in your abdomen. These ligaments are what’s supporting your uterus, and when doing things such as getting out of bed or moving suddenly happens, your ligaments stretch and cause sharp pains.
• False Labor- During the last weeks of pregnancy, many women begin to have contractions and begin to think they are in labor. Although false labors do not usually cause pain, all women are different and many women have reported having abdominal pains contributed to a false labor.
• Cramping- Cramping during the very end of your pregnancy, especially when your due date is close is normal, and is a sign labor is beginning. However, cramping, especially severe cramping that is occurring in the earlier stages of pregnancy, is not a good sign and medical attention should be sought after.

Other causes of abdominal pain that can be classified as normal, is usually due to things such as gas pains and bloating, the growing of your baby, heartburn and constipation.

Treating Abdominal Pain

As with most pains during your pregnancy, the treatment of abdominal pain must first be diagnosed by your doctor. If the pain is due to normal things such as gas, bloating, constipation or the growth of your baby, there might not be too much your doctor can do for you. To try and lessen or reduce the abdominal pain that is due to minor problems, try:

• Avoiding quick movements like turning your waste sharply
• Bending towards the pain
• Use a heating pad or heat on the painful area (like during your menstrual cycle)
• Drink more fluids
• Walking around to relieve gas, which usually helps the bloating