Stomach pain in pregnancy

Stomach pain during pregnancy is familiar to every second woman expecting a child.

Unpleasant sensations torment the expectant mother, both in the first trimester and at later stages. Most often, gynecologists explain the pain by the growing uterus, which gradually displaces the internal organs, but it is worth remembering that in 44% of women, pregnancy provokes an exacerbation of chronic gastrointestinal diseases.

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Why does my stomach hurt during pregnancy?

Stomach pain during pregnancy can be caused by various reasons and have varying degrees of danger.

The most common factor that provokes stomach pain is the constantly growing uterus, which gradually displaces the internal organs, not bypassing, of course, the gastrointestinal tract. The enlargement of the uterus can also affect the normal passage of food into the esophagus (reflux).

In addition, stomach pain can be caused by:

• Stress.
• Overeating is common among most pregnant women.
• Long intervals between meals (or so-called hunger pains).
• Indigestion and insufficient secretion of gastric juice (hypoacid conditions).
• Heartburn.
• Constipation and other problems with stool.
• Toxicosis and even the slightest tension in the abdominal muscles.

Despite the happy months in a woman's life, her body experiences stress; during this period it is weakened, which means it is most vulnerable. That is why bacterial, viral and fungal infections easily "stick" to it.

In addition, during pregnancy, chronic gastrointestinal diseases become worse, such as gastritis (according to statistics, 70% of women suffer from it), stomach and duodenal ulcers, high acidity; problems with the liver, pancreas and gall bladder.

It is worth remembering that during pregnancy, most people develop allergies (even if the expectant mother was not previously susceptible to them) to certain foods - this is another reason for the occurrence of pain.

Causes of stomach pain during pregnancy

1. Different types of gastritis:
   • Bacterial.
   • Stressful acute.
   • Erosive.
   • Fungal, viral.
   • Atrophic.
2. Stomach ulcer.
3. Gastric polyps.
4. Improper nutrition, which results in:
   1. Dyspeptic symptoms.
   2. Constipation.
5. Tension in the abdominal muscles.
6. Overwork.
7. Infections.
8. Damage during trauma.

Stomach pain during pregnancy can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Then the accompanying symptoms, in addition to pain, are cramps, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea. These symptoms can last from a day to 72 hours. Food poisoning can manifest itself in the form of abdominal pain and diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Stomach pain can also occur due to tonsillitis or pneumonia.

It happens that stomach pain during pregnancy is accompanied by constant tension and pain in the lower abdomen. These symptoms may arise due to the development of appendicitis. Then a consultation with a surgeon is necessary.

Causes of radiating stomach pain, that is, not related to the stomach itself, in pregnant women may be diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - gallbladder, liver, pancreas, diseases of bacterial or viral etiology of the urinary system: urethra, kidneys, ureter.

The cause of stomach pain may be lactose intolerance (that is, intolerance to dairy products). When such pregnant women drink milk, they begin to experience stomach pain. Such pain is accompanied by various types of food allergies. They can occur during or immediately after eating.

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What makes stomach pain worse during pregnancy?

The pain may intensify when the disease becomes chronic.

It is worth knowing that in 44% of cases, pregnant women with stomach pain may experience remission of the ulcer of the duodenum or stomach. This is due to the large amount of progesterone, which is actively produced in the body of a pregnant woman. It promotes the production of a large amount of mucus, which lines the stomach and thus reduces and prevents the occurrence of pain in the stomach area.

Symptoms of stomach pain during pregnancy

Stomach pain during pregnancy, which is cramping in nature, can occur with neuroses, gastritis and other neurological diseases. Most often, such painful sensations begin suddenly and soon pass.

Often stomach pain is confused with pain in the intestines. Stomach pain is felt above the navel or in the left hypochondrium, while the intestines are characterized by unpleasant sensations in the area below the navel.

If the stomach pain during pregnancy is very strong and cutting, then this is in no way connected with the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy. You should be wary if the pain occurs along with the following accompanying symptoms:

• Constant severe spasms.
• Vomit.
• Diarrhea.
• Blood in the stool.
• General deterioration of health: lethargy, fatigue, depression.

How intense is pregnancy pain?

Its intensity may vary – from mild to very strong. If the stomach pain is chronic, it may be aching, but not strong (peptic ulcer, stomach cancer, duodenitis). Therefore, a woman may not pay any attention to this pain for a long time until the painful sensations begin to intensify. But it is advisable to see a doctor immediately, because the consequences are unpredictable.

Of course, it is impossible to determine by the strength of pain what disease caused it. True, each woman has her own perception of pain - the pain threshold can be high or low. This determines whether the woman will have severe pain or mild pain that she can tolerate for some time. It should be taken into account that during an exacerbation of ulcer disease, pain may not be felt.

If your stomach hurts at the beginning of pregnancy

Stomach pain during early pregnancy has become surrounded by an incredible number of myths, mostly unfounded.

The biggest misconception is the threat of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. Indeed, such a danger exists, but it has nothing to do with pain above the navel.

Stomach pains at the beginning of pregnancy are most often associated with the body's reaction to stress. It is during this period of time (the first trimester) that a woman is most irritable, and this affects the condition of the gastric mucosa. In addition, the body is additionally burdened with a hormonal surge and physiological changes.

In the early stages of pregnancy, most women suffer from toxicosis, so they refuse to eat. Doing this is strictly prohibited, since the lack of vitamins and minerals found in food can have a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

It is worth remembering that at the beginning of pregnancy, chronic gastrointestinal diseases (especially gastritis and ulcers) are exacerbated. Therefore, a thorough examination and observation by a gynecologist and gastroenterologist is necessary.

If your stomach hurts in late pregnancy

Stomach pain during late pregnancy is caused by various reasons.

If at 27 weeks of pregnancy the stomach hurts, in most cases - these are physiological reasons. The fact is that the growing uterus shifts upward all internal organs; the lungs and stomach suffer most from this process. In addition, in the late stages of pregnancy the tone of the gastric sphincter decreases, which makes it difficult for food to pass. Also, overeating can be the cause of stomach pain at 27 weeks of pregnancy.

If stomach pain is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and weakness, then this is a sign of food poisoning. In this case, you should immediately contact a doctor who will prescribe the safest treatment and, if necessary, leave the woman under observation in the infectious diseases department.

When your stomach hurts at 39 weeks of pregnancy, you should immediately seek help from a gynecologist. The fact is that in the last stages of pregnancy (37-40 weeks), attacks of stomach pain and accompanying symptoms (heartburn and indigestion) occur much less frequently, since the baby's head descends, and the uterus puts less pressure on the stomach.

The cause of stomach pain during pregnancy at 39 weeks can be an infection; quite often, pain at this stage of pregnancy indicates imminent labor.

The nature of stomach pain during pregnancy

Stomach pain during pregnancy can often be complicated. This may mean that a woman may have other concomitant diseases. For example, burning pain with gastritis may be accompanied by an ulcer or solar tract. Pregnant women who suffer from chronic gastritis often also experience heaviness in the abdomen and a feeling of distension. Such a feeling may also occur with damage to the pylorus of the stomach. Such symptoms may also occur with cholecystitis, colitis, pancreatitis or other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

If a woman has intense pain in the stomach area, the cause may be gastritis combined with colitis and pancreatitis. Such patients may have a dull, aching pain that does not go away for a long time. But with a stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer, the pain can be cramping, sharp, strong, paroxysmal. But the pain that women describe as stabbing occurs with a perforated ulcer.

It is very important to know what are the symptoms of stomach pain during pregnancy. This determines what cause of stomach pain will be determined. This is very important for diagnosis. To determine what is the cause of stomach pain, it is necessary to take into account the connection of pain with meals. If gastritis is chronic, pain appears with a very short period of time after eating - almost immediately. Especially after sour and fatty foods. If a woman has an ulcer, pain can occur immediately after eating, but not more than a time interval of 1.5 hours. If a woman has a pyloric ulcer, then pain can occur approximately 1.5 hours after eating.

If the ulcer has already spread in the duodenum, then the pain occurs later than an hour and a half after eating. If the food has a very high percentage of acidity, for example, dairy (but not fermented milk) products, boiled meat, then stomach pain in pregnant women occurs later, more than 2 hours after eating.

If a pregnant woman eats plant foods with coarse fiber, vegetable marinades, black bread, canned food, the pain may be early.

If there is duodenitis, ulcer of the duodenum, pain may occur before the desire to eat. Such patients usually eat at night, the pain goes away after taking milk liquid porridges or soft well-chopped food. For example, various purees, minced meat and fish. If you take soda, the pain in the stomach of a pregnant woman will also become less intense.

Pain in the gastrointestinal tract can also increase after severe overexertion (physical) or mental stress. When a woman develops duodenitis or an ulcer, the pain is associated with physical overexertion and emotional stress.

Treatment of stomach pain during pregnancy

Treating stomach pain during pregnancy is a complex process and therefore requires special care.

Since about 70% of pregnant women suffer from exacerbation of gastritis, in particularly severe cases the doctor may prescribe a gastroscopy or ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.

Medication, as well as surgical intervention, is contraindicated for expectant mothers, since any chemical element contained in the drugs can negatively affect the health of the baby. However, if stomach pain during pregnancy is very strong, the doctor can prescribe the most gentle homeopathic medications, which the woman will take in small doses (for example, "Iberogast" - 20 drops no more than twice a day)

The optimal treatment option for stomach pain during pregnancy is folk methods:

• Decoctions of sedative herbs (motherwort, lemon balm, valerian) will improve the general condition.
• Gastritis with normal and high acidity is treated with a collection of herbs: yarrow, chamomile and St. John's wort (pour 1 tablespoon of the collection with a glass of boiling water and let it brew for two hours; take three times a day before meals).
• Gastritis with low acidity is treated with a collection of herbs: caraway, wormwood, fennel, oregano or thyme (buy at the pharmacy and brew according to the instructions).
• To treat gastritis during pregnancy, you can use honey in its pure form or as part of recipes (with aloe juice, one teaspoon three times a day).
• Mineral waters (Borjomi, Essentuki, etc.) are good for stomach pain.

When treating stomach pain during pregnancy, the expectant mother needs rest, bed rest and a strict diet, excluding spicy, salty and fatty foods, as well as frequent meals - every 6-7 hours.

How to Prevent Stomach Pain During Pregnancy?

It is almost impossible to avoid stomach pain during pregnancy, but it is still quite possible to make it rare and barely noticeable.

• During the day, you should eat fractionally (6-7 times a day), in small portions; under no circumstances should you overeat and do not eat at night.
• Eliminate harmful and heavy foods from your diet: spicy, fried, smoked and salty foods, as well as coarse foods.
• Drink enough water, including mineral water.
• Do not take long breaks between meals. In case of toxicosis and after waking up, be sure to eat some "neutral" food, such as a banana.
• Do not lie down under any circumstances for 20 minutes after eating.
• Undergo timely medical examinations.
• Be as nervous as possible and avoid stressful situations.

A healthy lifestyle and careful adherence to simple rules will help expectant mothers not to suffer from stomach pain during pregnancy, but to enjoy their position and be in shape even after the birth of the child.

Stomach pain during pregnancy – a symptom of a serious illness or a physiological norm? In order to determine this, you need to consult a doctor in time for a consultation.