Pain in the lower abdomen during early pregnancy: does it happen after IVF, at night? Aching, periodic, pulling sensations, as during menstruation

In general, painful, pulling sensations in the lower abdomen are not uncommon. But they always worry the expectant mother, and sometimes cause real fear for her baby. These anxieties and panic states are very harmful, as they affect the mood, psychological health of the woman and inevitably affect the condition of the baby.

Therefore, in order not to worry in vain, let's find out the causes of pain together. Let's find out about early pregnancy, why the expectant mother's stomach hurts... Are there any reasons for concern, and in what cases should you consult a doctor? So…

Why does pain occur?

At the beginning of pregnancy, a woman may experience pain in the abdominal area, which has a pulling character, reminiscent of the sensations at the beginning of menstruation. The reasons may be different. But mostly they relate to physiological reasons, which is normal. Pain may occur due to sprained ligaments and muscles due to the increasing size of the uterus. It may be related to the digestive system, it may indicate inflammation of the appendix, but in some cases it may be a sign of a dangerous condition that may threaten pregnancy.

Check it out for yourself. If you feel tight or have pain in your lower abdomen, try lying down or relaxing in a chair. If the pain goes away when changing body position, then there is no need to worry. Just take a no-shpa tablet. But only if you still need to work all day and it’s problematic to endure the pain until the evening.

When is there no reason to worry?

Even if pregnancy proceeds quite normally, a woman may experience pain of a physiological nature, for example:

If the spasms are not intense. If a slight nagging pain is felt throughout the abdomen. This is usually due to a sprain as the uterus gradually increases in size.

If the pain is not severe, aching, but constant, it can indicate a restructuring of the female body, adapting it to a new state.

If slight pain is accompanied by spotting blood within 7-10 days after conception, there is no need to worry. This may be due to the consolidation and development of the embryo and does not pose a threat to pregnancy.

When do you need a doctor's help?

If the painful sensations are not severe, you can calmly endure them, going about your business, there is no reason to worry. But if they are intense, strong, obsessive, this is a cause for concern. If the pain is severe, it is better not to put yourself at risk and consult a doctor. Especially if in early pregnancy the stomach hurts very much on one side.

Signs of an ectopic pregnancy

The pain is intense on one side of the abdomen. You need to do an ultrasound to check for an ectopic pregnancy. This dangerous condition threatens a woman with rupture of the fallopian tube, severe bleeding and even death. Therefore, if intense, nagging, aching pain is accompanied by bleeding, call an ambulance.

Of course, this may be a completely reparable pathology. For example, such signs may indicate the process of placental abruption. With the help of a doctor, this process can be stopped. But sometimes these signs can indicate a frozen pregnancy. In this case, nothing can be corrected and the uterine cavity must be urgently cleaned.

Signs of a miscarriage

Involuntary termination of pregnancy has its own clear symptoms. And it can be recognized by the following signs:

If intense pain appears in the abdominal area, it is accompanied by bleeding and discharge of amniotic fluid.

If there is bleeding or there is none, but intense pain lasts a long time and does not go away after a day or more.

If the discharge has become more intense, it resembles menstruation, and there are inclusions of tissue in it. If they last more than 3 days.

If the blood is released so abundantly that you cannot do without a pad.

However, you need to know that minor bleeding does not always indicate a miscarriage. At the very beginning of pregnancy, slight bleeding may indicate that the normal process is taking place when the fertilized egg is fixed in the uterus.

You also need to know that before visible signs of spontaneous abortion appear, changes occur in the blood serum, namely, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG titer) decreases.
When performing an ultrasound, a stop in the enlargement of the fertilized egg or growth of the embryo is observed.

Before the involuntary abortion itself, the woman stops noticing the signs of pregnancy, namely: the characteristic nausea disappears, the mammary glands stop swelling. The woman begins to feel unusually very good.

But in any case, if it seems to you that something is going wrong, if you are worried about constant abdominal pain, or if there are other signs of pathological changes in the normal course of pregnancy, do not take risks and consult your doctor. Be healthy!

During pregnancy, almost every woman experiences abdominal pain. They arise for various reasons and can cause significant discomfort. Some of them are associated with natural changes in the body, and some can lead to adverse effects.

Why does your stomach hurt during pregnancy?

During this period, from time to time the woman feels pain or discomfort in various parts of the body. As a rule, they indicate changes in hormonal levels or are associated with abdominal growth. But sometimes abdominal pain indicates an exacerbation of previously dormant diseases or the emergence of other problems.

The abdomen does not belong to a single organ; pain in this area can be associated with pathologies in various body systems. If you experience any unpleasant painful sensations, it is best to consult a doctor.

Types of abdominal pain and causes of their occurrence

Abdominal pain during pregnancy is conventionally divided into obstetric and non-obstetric. Obstetric pain includes pain that is directly related to bearing a child and, as a rule, does not require medical intervention. Non-obstetric pain can occur in all people and be a symptom of disease.

The most common obstetric non-threatening pains include the following:

• At 2-3 weeks of pregnancy, the fertilized egg is implanted into the wall of the uterus. This may be accompanied by a slight nagging pain.
• Moderate abdominal pain in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. It is caused by physical changes in the body associated with softening of tissues to support the uterus, as well as stretching of muscles. Pregnant women who have previously had painful menstruation often face this problem. The pain is sharp, but short-lived in the lower abdomen. They intensify with sudden movements and when lifting heavy objects. There is no need to treat them, the woman should just lie down and rest.
• In later stages, abdominal pain may occur due to the baby moving. Also in the 3rd trimester, nagging pain is associated with the growth of the uterus and tension of its muscles
• Digestive problems associated with pregnancy. Due to hormonal changes, a woman may suffer from dysbiosis and bloating, accompanied by painful sensations. The pain is nagging or aching and is accompanied by belching, nausea, vomiting or heartburn
• This problem usually appears in the second half of pregnancy and requires nutritional adjustments.
• Before childbirth, the pelvic bones diverge, which may be accompanied by slight aching pain in the abdomen
• Training contractions appear in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. In this way, the body prepares for the upcoming birth. They do not cause a woman much discomfort and are harmless

It is important not to confuse false contractions with premature birth. If regular contractions occur, especially severely painful ones, you should urgently call an ambulance.

But there are also dangerous obstetric pains that arise from the following problems in the body:

1. Threat of miscarriage. At the same time, there is aching and pulling in the lower abdomen and lumbar region. Bloody discharge is also added to the pain. You can avoid an unfavorable outcome only by seeking medical help in a timely manner. If no measures are taken, the pain becomes cramping, bleeding increases and spontaneous miscarriage occurs.
2. , in which the fertilized egg is implanted not in the uterus, but in the fallopian tube. In this case, sharp abdominal pain occurs, accompanied by dizziness. An ectopic pregnancy can be detected by ultrasound. Most often, its characteristic symptoms appear at 5-7 weeks.
3. Premature placental abruption. It can be provoked by injuries in the abdominal area, a short umbilical cord and other pathologies. In this case, the pain in the abdomen is very severe, internal bleeding may occur without external discharge. In this case, only forced delivery and stopping the bleeding can save the woman and child.
4. dangerous at any stage of pregnancy, since in this case nutrients and oxygen are poorly supplied to the fetus. It is often accompanied by sharp pain in the lower abdomen of a cramping nature. In this case, the stomach and uterus become hard, and over time they relax again.

Among non-obstetric abdominal pains during pregnancy, surgical pathologies or certain diseases most often occur:

• Appendicitis is quite rare. With this pathology, severe pain appears in the navel, right side and right hypochondrium. Accompanied by pain, nausea, vomiting and fever. In the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, there are cases of acute appendicitis, which requires urgent surgical intervention. Abdominal pain appears suddenly and is paroxysmal in nature, after some time turning into a constant aching sensation.
• Pancreatitis is characterized by acute pain in the upper abdomen. It is accompanied by vomiting and bowel dysfunction.
• manifests itself as nagging painful sensations and a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen. They intensify when the bladder is full, becoming cutting. At the same time, urination becomes more frequent and becomes painful.
• Exacerbation of chronic cholecystitis or chronic gastritis is also manifested by painful sensations in the abdomen. In the first case, they appear in the right hypochondrium, in the second - in the upper abdomen. The pain is aching in nature.
• In case of intestinal infection or poisoning during pregnancy, pain in the navel and indigestion occur.

The danger of intestinal infections during pregnancy is that, together with intestinal tone, they cause uterine tone.

What measures to take for abdominal pain during pregnancy

As you can see, abdominal pain during pregnancy can occur for various reasons. Some of them can threaten the health of both the expectant mother and the child. During the normal course of pregnancy, there may be minor pain in the abdomen without dynamics. In this case, the body simply adapts to a new physical state.

You should not self-medicate abdominal pain during pregnancy, as you can harm yourself and your baby. It is best to consult your doctor first.

Physiological pain during pregnancy can be relieved by staying in the knee-elbow position for 10 minutes several times during the day. Taking a warm shower, chamomile tea or aromatic relaxing oils (rose, mint, jasmine, lavender) will also help. After your doctor's permission, you can drink a glass of mint infusion or lemon balm decoction at night. The product will help you relax, eliminate pain and fall asleep quickly.

For pain caused by digestive problems, normalizing your diet and including a large amount of fresh vegetables, fruits and dairy products in your diet will help. You need to try to stick to the regime and eat food at the same time every day. It is important to avoid fatty, fried and spicy foods.

In case of inflammatory processes in the body that cause abdominal pain, the woman is prescribed pregnancy-compatible antibiotics, as well as acceptable antispasmodics. If there is a threat of miscarriage, uterine hypertonicity and initial placental abruption, bed rest and sedatives are indicated. Antispasmodics, which also reduce the tone of the uterus, help relieve pain in the abdomen.

If surgical intervention is necessary, they try to postpone it until the end of pregnancy, relieving the symptoms of the pathology. In emergency cases, they try to resort to laparoscopy rather than strip surgery.

Prevention of abdominal pain during pregnancy

The following recommendations will help reduce physiological pain during pregnancy:

The bandage should only be worn while lying down and should not be tightened too much.

Infectious diseases, stressful situations, injuries and sudden movements can provoke the risk of various pathologies, so it is better to avoid them. Timely consultation with a doctor, as well as compliance with all his recommendations, will help reduce the risk of atypical abdominal pain during pregnancy.

If your stomach doesn't hurt in early pregnancy, is this normal?

For every woman, the pregnancy period has its own differences and preferences. The reasons may be age, the nature of the pregnancy, and complications. Many expectant mothers are interested in the question: should the stomach hurt in the early stages of pregnancy and is it bad for the unborn child or not? It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question, since this process can be influenced by many factors; let’s consider some of them.

Causes of abdominal pain in early pregnancy

Hormonal changes in the body

For any woman, the first pregnancy is stress for the body and a new thing to which it can react differently. Some develop toxicosis, others carry a baby without any deterioration in health at all. The very first stage that responds to the process of fertilization of the egg is an increase in the blood of the expectant mother, the hormone progesterone. That is why the stomach may hurt, because it is quite difficult for the body to readjust itself.

Intestinal disorders

In the early stages of pregnancy, a woman can dramatically change her gastronomic preferences. You constantly want something new and in uneven doses. This can cause diarrhea, indigestion and many other gastrointestinal diseases, resulting in stomach pain.

Active stretching of the abdominal muscles

With each week, the size of the fetus increases, and accordingly, the size of the uterus also increases. This helps to gradually stretch the muscles, but sometimes this process causes discomfort in the expectant mother.

Inflammation of the bladder

This process occurs as a result of any external factors, but during pregnancy, the pressure of the fetus on the urinary system is sufficient. When a child begins to actively develop, it puts pressure on the internal organs and bladder. This is why inflammation can occur, which causes aching pain in the abdomen.

Surgical pathology

Pain can also be caused by diseases that existed before pregnancy or their exacerbation. These may be diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and pelvic organs. Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, you need to undergo a thorough medical examination to exclude the occurrence of pathologies.

Obstetric causes of abdominal pain during pregnancy

This list should include all diseases and complications that affect the pregnancy process:

1. Ectopic pregnancy;
2. Placental abruption;
3. Threat of miscarriage and many other illnesses.

This type of cause of abdominal pain in a pregnant woman can be complicated by bleeding, dizziness, and loss of consciousness. In this case, it is better to carefully monitor the progress of pregnancy and regularly visit a gynecologist, who will tell you if there are problems and how to get around them.

There may be pain during pregnancy. If they are not there, you should not consider this a disadvantage. But it is simply impossible not to feel discomfort in this state. There are a few women who do not complain of pain; rather, this is a consequence of pathology associated with the fetus.

Video

Of course, for any woman, pregnancy is a very important stage in life. I really want everything to go smoothly, so that the baby feels good from the very beginning, and the woman is healthy. Naturally, pain in the early stages of pregnancy, as well as in later stages, causes a lot of worry and anxiety in a pregnant woman. Everyone knows that a healthy body does not hurt, but is it worth worrying and panicking every time you feel pain? In this article we will tell you in detail about what kind of pain you may encounter in the early stages of pregnancy, whether you should be afraid of them or not, and what to do if they arise.

Pain during early pregnancy

In general, we can say that pain during early pregnancy is quite common and physiologically explainable. For example, most often a woman experiences a stomach ache during early pregnancy. The cause of pain in the abdomen, which, by the way, is often accompanied by pain in the lower back, is that the uterus goes through many changes in the early stages of pregnancy - it becomes softer and thicker, changes its size and position. In addition, the fertilized egg attaches to its cavity, and blood flows to it with renewed vigor to ensure adequate nutrition for the embryo.

If your stomach feels tight during early pregnancy, this is normal. The criterion for concern is the intensity of pain. If you experience nagging pain in the lower abdomen, reminiscent of pain during menstruation, this is considered normal, this means that at this moment the fertilized egg is attached to the wall of the uterus. Normally, such sensations can last from 2 to 5 days. Sometimes they are accompanied by scanty discharge ranging from pink to brown. You should be wary if the nagging pain in the lower abdomen continues for a long time, is sharp, and the woman suffers from dizziness and fainting. The combination of these signs may indicate the development of an ectopic pregnancy; in such cases, urgent medical intervention is necessary, since the woman’s life may be in danger!

Also, during pregnancy, nagging and sharp pain in the abdominal area may occur - most often these are manifestations of existing diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. They are usually accompanied by flatulence, constipation, and bloating. All these phenomena are associated with the production of the hormone progesterone, which is responsible for maintaining pregnancy, as well as the changing position of the uterus inside the abdomen. Naturally, in such cases, you should undergo a full examination and treat existing diseases so as not to harm either yourself or the child.

Discharge in early pregnancy

The next common question is, do women have discharge in the early stages of pregnancy and which ones are considered normal and which ones are not? It should be said that discharge accompanies a woman throughout her life, and pregnancy is no exception. Most discharge is an acceptable deviation from the norm and does not require special treatment. These include discharge that intensifies in the early stages of pregnancy, white or transparent, it is acceptable if it has a pale yellow tint. Their function is to moisturize the mucous membranes of the vagina, and during early pregnancy, these discharges may not only not stop, but also intensify. If the discharge has no odor and the woman does not suffer from burning, itching or redness, then everything is fine.

A common occurrence during early pregnancy is the appearance of light discharge, reminiscent of menstruation. They can be either pale pink or brown. As a rule, such discharge appears as a result of attachment of the fertilized egg to the endometrium and due to the fact that a mucous plug begins to form, closing the entrance to the uterus. These are the remains of this mucus.

You should be wary of bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy if a woman suffers from cervical erosion - inflammation of the mucous membrane in the form of wounds and ulcers. You should also be concerned if the discharge is brown and accompanied by sharp pain - this may be a sign of detachment of the fertilized egg and carries a real threat of miscarriage. If such a situation occurs, you need to urgently see a doctor who will do an ultrasound, a blood and urine test for hCG levels: if the level of this hormone drops sharply, this indicates that the pregnancy is in danger and may have to be terminated.

Sometimes women experience the fact that they get their periods in the early stages of pregnancy. This is also the norm, especially if fertilization occurred several days before the expected date of menstruation. If you are not bothered by pain, wait until the next month - you should no longer have menstruation. Another cause of bleeding in the early stages can be a multiple pregnancy (most often occurs if the woman has undergone in vitro fertilization), embryos rejected by the body come out with the blood.

In early pregnancy, suspicion may be caused by yellow and green discharge, especially if it has a strong odor. Most often, these are accumulations of pus at one stage or another, which can be signs of acute infections, including STDs. In this case, urgent treatment is necessary!

Temperature in early pregnancy

Temperature in early pregnancy is one of the defining symptoms. On our website we have already written about how to determine early pregnancy. Elevated temperature during early pregnancy is its characteristic sign. Normally, a pregnant woman’s body temperature should be 37 °C. We are talking about basal body temperature, which can be measured in the rectum. If this indicator decreases, there is a risk of miscarriage, so you should urgently consult a doctor. Increased body temperature in the early stages is explained by hormonal changes in the body; as a rule, in the 2nd month it already falls within normal limits.

If the body temperature rises sharply (over 38 oC), this may indicate an ectopic pregnancy, and may also be evidence of an inflammatory process, which can negatively affect the development of the embryo. In some cases, if a woman suffers from a viral or infectious disease in the early stages of pregnancy, the pregnancy must be terminated, since irreversible changes occur in the embryo’s brain, and the child will be born with pathologies. In any case, if you have any suspicions, it is better to consult a doctor.

We wish you an easy pregnancy and healthy babies! Good luck!

It happens that expectant mothers experience abdominal pain in the early stages of pregnancy. The sources can be different, ranging from minor pain to serious pathology. As a rule, the first ones are harmless, but in the second case it’s worth seriously thinking about the baby’s health. But can your stomach hurt in early pregnancy? Let's consider.

Spasms of physiological origin (nociception)

These spasms do not indicate danger. They are practically not felt and do not intensify. Sometimes the stomach and lumbar region hurt. This is observed in the first weeks of pregnancy (early pregnancy). Pain occurs when the corpus luteum penetrates the endometrium. The woman may also (rarely) see drops of blood. This is due to minor damage to the vessel.

Hormonal background

Changes in hormone levels are a common cause of pain in the lower abdomen in the early stages of pregnancy. It is worth considering that painful spasms appear due to stretching of the internal ligaments. Like physiological pain, these aching signals do not cause much discomfort and are not a cause for panic.

Frozen fruit

In rare cases, the developing fetus freezes - the heartbeat stops. The body begins to reject it, hence the pain. As a rule, painful spasms are sharp, cutting and often with bloody discharge. In this case, there is no point in saving the fetus - it is recommended to go to the hospital to clean the uterine cavity.

Ectopic complication

This moment is no less painful than a frozen pregnancy. The pain occurs due to the stoppage of the fertilized egg in the fallopian tube. It grows quickly and swells the narrow passage, which causes painful spasms. This pathology has a number of symptoms, such as:

1. localization of cutting pain in a certain area;
2. heavy bleeding;
3. feeling of nausea;
4. gagging;
5. fainting.

Ask if the doctor can save the pregnancy? No. In this case, surgery is always prescribed.

Risk of miscarriage

This is a condition when the egg and fetus separate. The pain is often sharp, cutting, and sometimes unbearable. The threat is also accompanied by blood discharge, and its color and abundance may vary. If these symptoms occur, it is recommended to immediately call an ambulance. Don't panic or try to soothe the pain with heat or cold.

Temporary gland cyst (corpus luteum)

The corpus luteum is a temporary “guest” in the female body. It produces progesterone at the initial stage of gestation. Sometimes the process of its development goes wrong, this is called a cyst. Note that this does not pose a particular danger to pregnancy. With a cyst, there is a nagging pain in the lower abdomen; it intensifies only in rare cases. Even if there is no danger, there are a number of recommendations that should be followed, such as avoiding physical activity and avoiding heavy lifting. Sometimes the cyst ruptures and bleeding begins. Therefore, with such a pathology you need to be extremely careful.