What Causes Abdominal Pain in Early Pregnancy?
Abdominal pain during first trimester of pregnancy is a common symptom encountered by pregnant women. Belly pain may be a normal physiological reaction or a warning of a disease from the body. Pregnant women should be careful and not careless. In early pregnancy, some abdominal pains are physiological, that is, the normal response caused by pregnancy. But some are pathological, which may indicate the occurrence of crises such as miscarriage and should be handled properly.
Basic Information
- Visiting department
- obstetrics
- Common locations
- abdomen
- Common causes
- Physiological due to increased gastric acid secretion, pathological if lower abdominal pain, may be a pregnancy complication, including threatened abortion, ectopic pregnancy, etc.
- Common symptoms
- Physiology is the feeling of falling in the lower abdomen, soreness in the waist; pathology is pain in the lower abdomen
Causes of abdominal pain in early pregnancy
- Physical abdominal pain
- In the first trimester, many pregnant women always feel some stomach pain, sometimes accompanied by early pregnancy reactions such as vomiting, which is mainly caused by increased gastric acid secretion in the first trimester.
- 2. Pathological abdominal pain
- In the first trimester of abdominal pain, especially lower abdominal pain, you should first think about whether it is a pregnancy complication. Common complications are threatened abortion and ectopic pregnancy.
- (1) In the first few months of pregnancy, if pregnant women have paroxysmal lower abdominal pain or regular abdominal pain, low back pain, and pelvic pain, if they are accompanied by vaginal bleeding or a noticeable drop in the abdomen, it may indicate threatened abortion.
- (2) If there is severe unilateral lower abdominal pain, accompanied by vaginal bleeding or fainting, it may be an ectopic pregnancy.
Clinical manifestations of abdominal pain in early pregnancy
- Physical abdominal pain
- Abdominal pain in early pregnancy, the lower abdomen has a feeling of falling down, oppressing the pregnant woman's back spine, and consciously feel pain in the waist. The pain started at two to three times for half an hour, each lasting 45 seconds, and later changed to 10 minutes twice, each lasting 2 to 3 minutes.
- 2. Pathological abdominal pain
- Abdominal pain, especially in the lower abdomen, occurs early in pregnancy. Be alert to pregnancy complications.
Differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in early pregnancy
- Threatened abortion
- If the pregnancy is less than 28 weeks and the fetus weighs less than 1000g, termination of pregnancy is called abortion. According to the development of the disease and the severity of the symptoms, spontaneous abortion can be divided into threatened abortion, inevitable abortion, incomplete abortion, complete abortion, and delayed abortion.
- In the first few months of pregnancy, if pregnant women have paroxysmal lower abdominal pain or regular abdominal pain, low back pain, and pelvic pain, if they are accompanied by vaginal bleeding or a noticeable drop in the abdomen, it may indicate threatened abortion.
- Ectopic pregnancy
- If there is severe unilateral lower abdomen pain with vaginal bleeding or fainting, it may be an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy generally experiences a sudden pain in the lower abdomen after 6 to 8 weeks of menopause. The amount of bleeding in the vagina may be more or less. The abdominal pain may occur before or after vaginal bleeding or at the same time.
- 3. Ovarian corpus luteum cyst
- In some pregnant women, after the ovarian corpus luteum is formed, the ovarian corpus luteum or the ovarian cysts that existed before the pregnancy were twisted or ruptured, causing severe pain in the lower abdomen.
- 4. Hydatidiform mole
- Hydatidiform mole is a benign tumor during pregnancy. Due to the rapid growth of the hydatidiform mole and excessive rapid expansion of the uterus, there may be paroxysmal lower abdominal pain, and the abdomen is bloating or dull. Generally tolerable, often occurs before vaginal bleeding, may also be accompanied by pregnancy and vomiting, the time of appearance generally begins around 6 weeks after menopause, dizziness, fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, partial eclipse, greasy anorexia, nausea, morning sickness, symptoms Severe, long-lasting, or signs of hypertension during pregnancy such as hypertension, lower limb edema, and white flocculent precipitation in the urine.
- 5. Pregnancy with appendicitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis
- Acute appendicitis is a common surgical complication during pregnancy, manifested by abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and low fever. Due to the gradual growth of the pregnant uterus, the location of the appendix also continues to rise, and the pain site is not as typical as during non-pregnancy. Acute cholecystitis generally has a history of previous attacks. The pain radiates to the right shoulder under the right rib. The pain is severe, colic, nausea, vomiting, and jaundice can occur when the biliary tract is blocked. You should go to the surgical office immediately. Although acute pancreatitis is uncommon, it is critically ill and has pain similar to cholecystitis.
Abdominal pain examination in early pregnancy
- 1. Routine gynecological examination;
- 2. Necessary laboratory inspections;
- 3.B-ultrasound.
Diagnosis of abdominal pain in early pregnancy
- Diagnosis was based on pregnancy history and clinical manifestations.
Treatment of abdominal pain in early pregnancy
- Physical abdominal pain
- Pay attention to diet and nutrition. The diet should be light and easy to digest. As the first trimester ends, the discomfort will disappear naturally.
- 2. Pathological abdominal pain
- (1) Threatened abortion: pregnant women have less activity, stay more in bed, do not have sex, do not carry heavy objects, and replenish moisture, and seek medical treatment in a timely manner. If pain worsens or continues to bleed, seek medical attention immediately. In case of unavoidable abortion, you should go to the hospital to discharge the residual tissues as early as possible. Placental remnants for too long can form placental polyps, causing repeated bleeding, anemia, and secondary infections, or leading to more severe incomplete abortion. Incomplete abortion is a continuous and massive bleeding. Those with a large amount can be shocked. The situation is critical. If it occurs, they should go to the hospital immediately. Another consequence of inevitable abortion is complete abortion, the pregnancy is completely discharged, and blood flow is gradually stopped. If there is no infection, no special treatment is required.
- (2) Ectopic pregnancy: If there is severe unilateral lower abdominal pain, accompanied by vaginal bleeding or fainting, it may be an ectopic pregnancy, and you should go to the hospital immediately.
- (3) Ovarian corpus luteum cyst: In this case, you must seek medical treatment in a timely manner.
- (4) Hydatidiform mole: Surgery should be performed as soon as possible after diagnosis to keep the uterus and avoid distant metastasis.
- (5) Combined with appendicitis, cholecystitis, and pancreatitis
- 1) Appendicitis is a common surgical complication during pregnancy and can be treated conservatively after diagnosis.
- 2) Cholecystitis usually has a history of previous attacks. The pain radiates to the right shoulder under the right rib. The pain is severe, nausea, vomiting, and jaundice can occur when the biliary tract is blocked. You should go to the surgical office immediately.
Prevention of abdominal pain in early pregnancy
- Physiological abdominal pain should pay attention to diet conditioning, diet should be light and easy to digest as the principle. As the first trimester ends, the discomfort will disappear naturally.