Lower abdominal pain during pregnancy: What you need to know

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Master, Doctor Trinh Thi Thanh Huyen - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

1. Lower abdominal pain during pregnancy

During pregnancy, any woman will experience pain in the lower abdomen around the navel with varying degrees of pain. The causes of this condition are very diverse, it can be just a physiological phenomenon during pregnancy but can also be a sign of a dangerous medical condition. The causes that can lead to lower abdominal pain during pregnancy are:
Placental abruption: The placenta detaches from the wall of the mother's uterus, causing the uterus to become tight, causing pain in the lower abdomen for the woman. Depending on the specific case of placental abruption, there may or may not be effects on the mother's health. Fetal implantation in the uterus: Because the fetus begins to implant and enter the uterine cavity, it causes lower abdominal pain in the first week of pregnancy, usually these cases will not cause any harm to the health of the fetus. pregnant women and will automatically disappear after a period of 2-3 days. Ectopic pregnancy: Due to causes such as genital infection, abnormal fallopian tubes have caused an ectopic pregnancy, causing lower abdominal pain during pregnancy with vaginal bleeding symptoms.

Inadequate nutritional supplementation: During pregnancy, because the mother's uterus is subjected to a lot of pressure from the fetus, the woman's digestive system also has many difficulties, so it is necessary to maintain a suitable diet for pregnant women. In addition, if progesterone levels increase too high during pregnancy, it will lead to poor digestion, causing symptoms of lower abdominal pain around the navel. Urinary tract infection: Lower abdominal pain during pregnancy can be caused by a urinary tract infection, accompanied by some symptoms such as discomfort, burning urination, urinary incontinence, and urine with unusual features such as urinary tract infections. smelly, bloody... Baby in the womb kicks: This is a very common manifestation in all pregnant mothers and is a sign of normal and healthy development of the baby. The fetus is located inside the woman's abdomen. In particular, if you experience lower abdominal pain during your second trimester, the most common cause may be muscle and ligament strain. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that in the second trimester of pregnancy, the fetus has developed for a while, causing some muscles and ligaments around the uterus to relax a lot, causing abdominal pain, especially when the woman changes. Change positions or when performing a cough. Lower abdominal pain around the navel also occurs when a woman is in the last 3 months of pregnancy due to causes such as Braxton-hicks contractions or labor with some cases of preterm birth. For Braxton - hicks contractions, this is an important factor to prepare for childbirth, this contraction will appear about 1 week before giving birth so that the woman's cervix can dilate more and also softer in order to have a more favorable birth. Labor before 37 weeks of pregnancy can also cause pain in the lower abdomen around the navel, which is characterized by these abdominal pains that do not go away when the patient changes position or walking, accompanied by diarrhea and mucus. vaginal pink.

2. How to deal with lower abdominal pain during pregnancy

If lower abdominal pain during pregnancy is simply pain, cramping in the lower abdomen and does not have any severe symptoms associated with it, you can take some steps to relieve the pain:
Lightly move around Gentle Use warm water to bathe. Bend the body toward the painful abdomen Drink plenty of water Lie down gently Massage the lower abdomen Some cases of lower abdominal pain can also be used Acetaminophen to ease the pain or if the cause of the pain is If the lower abdomen during pregnancy is due to a urinary tract infection, labor in preterm labor or a fetus growing outside the uterus, it is necessary to notify the doctor immediately. It is important during this time that pregnant women should not worry too much about abdominal pain because it can affect the spirit and development of the fetus, instead need to calm down and observe the symptoms of pregnancy. body to be able to visit the hospital in necessary cases. Women who have lower abdominal pain around the navel due to lack of nutrients or because the baby in the belly needs to change a new diet so that there is more fiber to minimize digestive disorders, can be vegetables and fruits. or cereals, especially drink lots of water during this period. In the first months, priority should be given to gentle exercise, do not sit still for a long time, on the contrary, in the last months, women need to rest more to prepare for a birth. best.

3. Conclusion

When there are any signs of lower abdominal pain around the navel, a pregnant woman should not be subjective, and besides, should not be too stressed about this condition but need to go to a medical facility. to be examined by a doctor to diagnose and find out the cause of this condition.
Vinmec currently has many maternity packages (12-27-36 weeks), in which the 12-week maternity package helps monitor the health of mother and baby right from the beginning of pregnancy, early detection and timely intervention. health problems. In addition to the usual services, the maternity monitoring program from 12 weeks has special services that other maternity packages do not have such as: Double Test or Triple Test to screen for fetal malformations; Quantitative angiogenesis factor test to diagnose preeclampsia; thyroid screening test; Rubella test; Testing for parasites transmitted from mother to child seriously affects the baby's brain and physical development after birth.
For more information about the 12-week maternity package and registration, you can contact the clinics and hospitals of Vinmec health system nationwide.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.