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Pulling pains in the lower abdomen in women

Medical expert of the article

Surgeon, oncosurgeon
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025

According to statistics, the frequency of occurrence of this symptom is much higher in females. This is explained by the peculiarities of the anatomical and histological structure, greater plasticity, mental instability, endocrine regulation. Many women have problems with the uterus, appendages, ovaries, which causes discomfort and painful sensations. Menstruation plays a certain role, associated with a number of transformations and changes in the body. Periodic pain before menstruation, disturbing once a month, is considered a normal variant. There is a diagnosis - algomenorrhea, which today occupies a fairly high position in the structure of gynecological diseases and pathologies and is characterized as painful menstruation. The process of bearing a child, labor and postpartum stages also contribute to the occurrence of pain. Severe, persistent pain, especially if the painkiller is ineffective, should cause numerous concerns, since this may be a symptom of the growth of tumors, polyps, cysts, twisting of the polyp. Accompanying fever, chills, pus – purulent-inflammatory process.

You shouldn't think only about gynecological diseases. The pain may well not be related to them. It may be related to the intestines, stomach, accompany inflammation and depletion of appendicitis, in which it gives up some of its spare nutrients to the body. If a woman is pregnant, in the early stages you don't have to worry about pain, it is often natural. But in the later stages there is already a reason to worry, as pathological pain may join in. The longer the period, the higher the probability of their occurrence, later usually only pathological ones develop.

Pulling pain in the lower abdomen and vaginal discharge

During examination, vaginitis, vulvovaginitis, mechanical damage or disruption of the mucous membrane, decreased local immunity, and disruption of the microflora are diagnosed.

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Brown discharge

Brown discharge appears in the presence of purulent exudate. They can occur when pus accumulates after an inflammatory process, indicate severe necrosis or the presence of a malignant process. They often appear as complications after surgery.

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White discharge

White discharge can be a sign of dysbacteriosis, bacterial infection, or a normal variant. If the discharge is odorless and is released in small quantities, this may be normal. But in any case, you need to consult a doctor, undergo a gynecological examination, and, if necessary, take the required tests. This will help avoid complications and prevent the development of severe pathologies, if any.

If the discharge is constant and abundant, this may indicate a pathology. Most often, such discharge appears with thrush, the development of fungal and bacterial infections. Often, white discharge appears after antibiotic therapy and colds, against the background of reduced immunity and endocrine disorders.

Bloody, pink discharge

Pain and pink discharge may indicate acute inflammatory processes in the intestines, reproductive organs and genitourinary system. They usually occur as a result of damage to the mucous membrane, with its excessive swelling, hyperemia. It may also indicate progressive inflammation, occurring against the background of decreased immunity and a tendency to bleeding.

If dark blood clots are released, this may indicate internal bleeding. This may occur after surgery (thickened blood that did not come out during surgery comes out). During pregnancy, this may be a sign of a miscarriage or spontaneous abortion.

Bloody discharge of bright scarlet color indicates bleeding. You need to call an ambulance as soon as possible. Until it arrives, you need to lie down and try not to move.

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Mucous discharge

Mucous discharge in moderate amounts is normal. Nagging pains can occur for various reasons. In order to accurately determine the cause and select treatment (if necessary), you need to undergo a gynecological examination and a comprehensive examination. If the pain is periodic, passes fairly quickly, decreases with a change in position, relaxation - usually these are physiological pains. Pathological pains do not pass for a long time, and may not even be relieved by painkillers.

Spotting

Typically, such pains appear in women of reproductive age. They can occur during pregnancy, which is due to physiological reasons, such as the growth of the uterus, stretching of the ligaments that hold the uterus.

Pain may occur due to hormonal imbalance, delayed menstruation, some time before or after menstruation, due to the release of the remains of an unfertilized egg. It is quite common after childbirth. Spotting after childbirth can bother a woman for 2-3 months, after which the body recovers, and the discharge goes away along with the pain.

Other symptoms

Chest pain

This is usually a symptom observed in women. It occurs in adolescent girls, when the hormonal background is being formed and established, and the menstrual function is being established. It is observed in many women before the onset of menstruation, or directly during menstruation. This is also associated with a change in hormonal background. These symptoms are especially intense in the early stages of pregnancy, when the body adapts to new conditions, and a sharp hormonal restructuring occurs. It can bother women during menopause.

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Pain in the nipples

Probably, it is pregnancy. But this is far from the only reason. It is impossible to immediately exclude such pathologies as, for example, ovarian dysfunction, hormonal disorders, decreased immune system. In order to find out the reason for the development of such painful sensations, you need to visit a gynecologist and undergo the necessary examination.

Itching

The appearance of itching may be associated with pregnancy, which is quite natural and understandable, since the uterus increases in size, the abdomen grows, and the skin stretches. The possibility of an allergic reaction, intoxication, or irritation should not be ruled out. Psoriasis and drug intolerance manifest themselves in a similar way.

Frequent urination

This may be a sign of pregnancy, as the growing uterus stretches, grows, and causes discomfort or pain. The enlarged uterus puts pressure on surrounding organs, including the bladder. This results in frequent urination.

Frequent urination and pain may also indicate inflammatory processes in the kidneys, urinary tract and urethra. This is often a sign of incipient cystitis. In men, it is often a sign of cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis, adenoma. Similar changes may also be due to hormonal imbalance. Many women experience similar symptoms during nervous stress, mental overstrain.

Pulling pain in the lower abdomen after sex

Normally, this should not happen, except for the first time. It is assumed that there is a congenital abnormal septum, other structural anomalies. There may be violations of the mucous membrane, microflora violations, various injuries that cause pain. Inflammation, erosion and infection of the cervix can also result in pain syndrome.

After intimacy, discharge of white or transparent color is considered normal, but if it acquires a tint, this indicates a bacterial infection.

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Pulling pain in the lower abdomen when taking duphaston

Pain may be a side effect of taking Duphaston. Usually, to eliminate these unpleasant phenomena, it is enough to stop taking the drug or reduce its concentration. But this can only be done after a preliminary consultation with a doctor and after all the necessary tests. Otherwise, the situation may only worsen.

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Pulling pains in the lower abdomen before, during and after menstruation

In many women, it is associated with hormonal disorders, changes: the unfertilized egg comes out together with the mucous membrane. In some women, this process is painful.

Pulling pain in the lower abdomen in the middle of the cycle

Normally, it should not occur. Usually, ovarian dysfunction or other endocrine disorders, inflammation in the gynecological field, development of serious diseases that need to be diagnosed at early stages are diagnosed. It is important to understand that pain occurs even as a result of the development and progression of a tumor.

Pulling pain in the lower abdomen after ovulation

Normally, there should be no pain after ovulation. But many women may experience pain. If the pain is transient and moderate, it may be normal. But if the pain becomes severe, unbearable, and does not go away for a long time, it is definitely a pathology.

Delayed menstruation and pulling pains in the lower abdomen

If menstruation has not started and there are unpleasant sensations, this indicates pregnancy or ovarian dysfunction. You can differentiate these two conditions using a pregnancy test. Modern systems react to the level of hormones in the blood and are sensitive already a week after the delay. A positive result indicates pregnancy. But you should not completely trust the test, since in case of ovarian dysfunction it can show a false positive result.

In order to finally determine the cause of such pain, you need to undergo diagnostics in a professional laboratory, taking an analysis for hCG, showing the level of non-placental chorionic hormone, which is synthesized at a time when the embryo is already developing in the body, but the placenta has not yet formed. It indicates that implantation was successful. Later, when the placenta is formed, the hCG level will decrease and will no longer be a diagnostic sign, since progesterone production will already be relevant.

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Pulling pain in the lower abdomen after IVF

During in vitro fertilization, the ovaries are stimulated and the overall hormonal background is balanced. Various invasive diagnostic and therapeutic manipulations are also performed, which can cause painful sensations and discomfort. Usually, these sensations pass quickly enough, and there is no need for additional intervention.

But if the pain does not go away within a few days, there is a possibility of developing ovarian hyperstimulation - a fairly common complication that occurs with excessive stimulation. It manifests itself as an inflammatory process. It must be treated as quickly as possible.

Pulling pain in the lower abdomen as a sign of pregnancy

Serve as one of the signs of pregnancy, but not always. Sometimes there are other signs of pregnancy, but pain does not appear. In other cases, on the contrary, despite the presence of nagging pain, and even a delay, there is no pregnancy. In order to determine the cause of pain and confirm pregnancy, a combination of manifestations is needed, for example, a delay in menstruation, nausea, drowsiness. But sometimes even these signs are not enough.

To make sure, you need to undergo a gynecological examination; an ultrasound may be required.

Pulling pain in the lower abdomen with a negative pregnancy test

Firstly, the test system you use for diagnostics may be unsuitable (improperly stored, expired). Rule out unsuitability, make sure that the test is not spoiled, not expired. Secondly, pregnancy is not always the cause. We must not forget about various pathological processes, ovarian dysfunction, overwork, consequences of trauma.

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Pulling pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy

Further tactics and strategy depend on the nature of the pain. Natural pain does not require concern. If we are talking about pathological pain, then you need to decide on further actions together with your doctor. Natural pain is associated with a new position. The body adapts, adjusts to bearing a child, future feeding. Intensive hormonal changes occur, the woman's immune system changes. Usually, such pain lasts for the first 2-3 months, after which it goes away on its own.

But pathological ones arise as a result of pathological processes in the body, and can pose a threat to the life of the mother and the developing organism. It is generally accepted that physiological pains are experienced by primiparous women, women with hormonal problems. Immunity is significantly reduced and sensitivity (defense mechanism) is increased.

Early pregnancy

Caused by the fact that the uterus, which was previously not functioning, is activated. Metabolic processes intensify, its own circulatory system is formed, and nutrition is enhanced. Growth contributes to the fact that ligaments, muscles, and skin are stretched. This is accompanied by pain, painful sensations. It can be a consequence of hypertonicity - excessive tone of the uterus.

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Late pregnancy

Usually, a woman may experience pain as a result of the fact that the uterus has grown quite strongly, stretched and began to press on the nerves, vessels, organs, affecting the sciatic nerve located behind it. Localization of pain in the abdomen, buttocks may be observed, irradiation occurs in various areas, even in the legs. Muscles may be subject to excessive stretching, leading to hypertonicity. Contractile activity of the uterus, fetal movements may be painful.

Pulling pain in the lower abdomen after childbirth

After childbirth, nagging pains may remain for a long time, up to 2-3 months. They are a consequence of damage to the mucous membranes of the skin and tissues. As recovery occurs, the pains gradually disappear. Pains may also indicate hormonal imbalances, which are inevitably present in the postpartum period. In any case, if pain occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor. They may be a sign of serious diseases and neoplasms that need to be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.

Aching pain in the lower abdomen after curettage

Curettage is a complex, traumatic process, during which not only the area where it was performed is injured, but also the surrounding tissues. During curettage, the mucous membrane and deep layers are damaged. Damage to one degree or another affects all the walls and the cavity of the uterus. Against the background of mechanical damage, an intense inflammatory process occurs, the degree of non-specific protection of the mucous membranes increases. The risk of an infectious process increases significantly.

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Pulling pain in the lower abdomen after hysteroscopy

After hysteroscopy, painful sensations may be observed for some time. This is due to the fact that an invasive effect is performed during the procedure. The procedure can be therapeutic and diagnostic. The essence of the procedure is that a special instrument, a hysteroscope, is inserted into the uterine cavity. At the end, it contains a camera with which the doctor visualizes the image. Special instruments can also be inserted, with which the doctor performs the necessary manipulations. The most painful stage is when the cervix is artificially opened. All the necessary instruments are inserted through it.

Normally, the pain should go away within 1-2 days. If it does not go away, you should see a doctor.

Pulling pain in the lower abdomen with an ovarian cyst

An ovarian cyst is a benign neoplasm. However, the cyst is often accompanied by painful sensations, nagging pains in the lower abdomen. Pain can occur as a result of hypertrophy of the mucous membrane, hyperemia, edema. If the cyst is on a stalk and has twisted, painful sensations also occur. With inflammation, bleeding, and growth of the cyst, there are sensations of pain and heaviness in the lower abdomen. If a cyst is present, it is necessary to regularly undergo routine examinations, follow all the doctor's recommendations, and promptly seek medical help if painful sensations appear.

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Pulling pain in the lower abdomen after miscarriage, abortion

A miscarriage or abortion is a pathological process in which hormonal disorders occur first and foremost, and the mucous membrane suffers. It may be accompanied by superficial and deep lesions of the uterine walls. Damage may be both at the biochemical and structural level, and mechanical. After an abortion or miscarriage, the mucous membrane becomes vulnerable, unprotected. It is subject to inflammatory and infectious processes. Wounds and damage heal for a very long time.

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Pulling pain in the lower abdomen during menopause

The main cause of pain during menopause is hormonal imbalances. It is also important to consider that it is during this period that women are most at risk of developing benign and malignant tumors. It is important to diagnose tumors at the early stages of their development. Only then can timely measures be taken, the tumor treated or removed. Therefore, as soon as nagging pains in the lower abdomen appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

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