What kind of pains are normal during pregnancy

Cramps can generally be described as pulling sensations on one or both sides of your abdomen. Although not considered a symptom for the detection of early pregnancy, it is a symptom that accompanies many pregnancies.

In most cases, cramping is a normal part of pregnancy. However, there are some instances when cramping can be a concern. Cramping typically occurs when the uterus expands, causing the ligaments and muscles that support it to stretch. It may be more noticeable when you sneeze, cough , or change positions. During the second trimester , a common cause of cramping is round ligament pain.

The round ligament is a muscle that supports the uterus, and when it stretches, you may feel a sharp, stabbing pain, or a dull ache in your lower abdomen. Cramping that is relatively minor and happens every now and then is probably nothing to be worried about. Some additional causes of normal cramping in pregnancy include:. If you experience minor cramping during pregnancy, there are a couple of things you can do for prevention and self-care:.

She recommended wearing a simple, Velcro elastic belt under the belly. Gas pain is common during pregnancy. Sometimes, though, your stomach pain could be a sign of something more serious. Here's what to look out for. We explain what causes stomach tightening during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy.

The hormonal and physiologic changes during pregnancy are unique in the life of women. Discover what they are here. A new study finds that epidurals do not affect child development in their later years. A fetal arrhythmia is an irregular heart rate — too fast, too slow, or otherwise outside the norm. It's often benign. Postpartum diarrhea after a C-section is normal.

Sharing our experiences of pregnancy and infant loss can help us heal. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Causes of pregnancy cramps Ectopic pregnancy Preeclampsia Cramps and the third trimester Relief from cramps Share on Pinterest. Why am I cramping? Early pregnancy side effects Typical early-pregnancy side effects , such as constipation , can cause cramping. Infection Yeast infections or urinary tract infections UTIs may also cause cramping.

Any of these could be the symptoms of something that needs to be checked or treated urgently. If you're well, it's really important you go to all your appointments and scans for the health of you and your baby.

If you're pregnant, hospitals and clinics are making sure it's safe for you to go to appointments. They will advise you what to do. This is when a fertilised egg implants outside the womb, for example in a fallopian tube. The pregnancy cannot survive and needs to be removed with medicine or surgery. Symptoms typically appear between 4 and 12 weeks of pregnancy and can include:.

Constipation and gas are often part of the pregnancy package, unfortunately. Progesterone, a hormone that increases during pregnancy, slows down your entire gastrointestinal tract, making foods travel more slowly through it.

To combat constipation, drink plenty of water and eat fiber-rich foods. If that doesn't relieve the problem, your midwife or ob-gyn may recommend a stool softener or a fiber supplement.

For a small number of expecting parents, serious pregnancy complications can develop that require immediate attention from your OB-GYN. Some red flags to watch for include bleeding, severe pain, fever, and visual disturbances. Ectopic or tubal pregnancies—in which the egg implants someplace other than the uterus, most often in the fallopian tube—occur in one out of every 50 pregnancies, according to the March of Dimes.

If you have an ectopic pregnancy , you may experience intense pain and bleeding between your sixth and tenth weeks of pregnancy, as the tube becomes distended. The following factors increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy: previous pelvic, abdominal, or fallopian tube surgery; endometriosis; previous ectopic pregnancy; tubal ligation; having an intrauterine device IUD in place at the time of conception; or a pelvic infection.

An abnormally shaped uterus and the use of artificial reproductive techniques also seem to increase the risk. Ectopic pregnancies can't continue and require immediate treatment. If you had a positive pregnancy test but haven't yet had your pregnancy confirmed by a medical exam, and you experience abdominal pain, you should be evaluated immediately by your OB-GYN, says Linda Chambliss, M.

Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. Your OB-GYN or midwife can perform an ultrasound to confirm whether the egg has implanted in the uterus. When women experience abdominal pain during early pregnancy, "you always have to be concerned about miscarriage," says Dr.

Duff, because the unfortunate fact is that 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Symptoms of miscarriage include bleeding and cramping that can be rhythmic or resemble menstrual cramps. If you're experiencing regular contractions before you're 37 weeks pregnant , and it's accompanied by persistent backache, you could be having preterm labor.

The contractions might come with leaking vaginal fluid or blood or a decrease in fetal movement. Even experienced pregnant women may not be able to tell if contractions are Braxton Hicks or true preterm labor, Dr.

Chambliss says, so she asks her patients to call anytime they feel contractions. You may end up being sent home because it's a false alarm Dr.