Pain in the lower abdomen on the left side of pregnancy: causes, treatment

Many women complain of pain in early pregnancy. They are quite understandable: with the birth of a new life the organism of the future mother begins to be gradually reconstructed. Muscle fibers stretch, ligaments swell. This type of discomfort is usually experienced in the first trimester.

Not always pain is the result of the described changes. Any unpleasant sensations should alert the future childbirth, as sometimes they signal about pathological problems. This article examines the main causes of pain in the lower abdomen on the left side of pregnancy. Information on methods of diagnosis and treatment of this condition is also presented.

Pain in the lower abdomen on the left side of pregnancy

In the left part of the abdominal cavity are organs, each of which plays a certain functional role. Any discomfort during pregnancy should alert and become an occasion for a visit to the doctor.

There are many reasons for the appearance of pain, and not all of them are due to pregnancy itself:

1. Physiological (do not require treatment).
2. Pathological course of pregnancy.
3. Diseases not related to the birth of a new life.

Pain in the early stages of pregnancy is usually due to stretching the walls of the uterus. Such discomfort can be called physiological, and no specific treatment is required in this case. When attaching a fetal egg, some women feel a slight tingling in the lower abdomen. It passes by itself in about a day.

From the third month the uterus starts to gradually go beyond the borders of the pelvis. As a result, the ligaments that fix it are stretched. Usually, during pregnancy, the stomach hurts, as with menstruation. Discomfort occurs during rest and increases with physical activity. This condition also does not require therapy.

In the third trimester, discomfort occurs due to the squeezing of the bladder by the uterus. Future women in labor note the appearance of sharp pain, which pushes into the perineum. However, the discomfort occurs immediately after the bladder has been emptied.

Now consider the main causes of pain in the lower abdomen on the left side of pregnancy, which can endanger the child's life. Otherwise, such pains are called obstetric.

Miscarriage

A large percentage of spontaneous termination of pregnancy is recorded for up to 12 weeks. Miscarriage is usually preceded by certain signs, which every woman should know. If you recognize the pathology in time and consult a doctor, in most cases, you can keep the baby.

Brownish discharge with blood from the vagina, sore side during pregnancy - these signs indicate a miscarriage. A woman with such symptoms should be hospitalized immediately. In the hospital after a physical examination, the doctor prescribes a series of tests to establish the cause of the pathology. Then proceed to treatment.

At the same time, a small hematoma often remains behind the fetal egg, which causes drawing stomach pains during pregnancy. When it resolves, the discomfort should pass, so you should not worry. If once there was a threat of miscarriage, a woman should be very careful and attentive to her situation. It is necessary to regularly do ultrasound to exclude various pathologies. Intrauterine anomaly often causes spontaneous abortion, or, conversely, develops as a result of a shortage of blood supply.

Ectopic pregnancy

Why does the abdomen hurt during pregnancy? In the early days, doctors often diagnose ectopic pregnancy. This is a condition in which a fetal egg can not reach the uterus and is attached to the fallopian tube. The rupture of the latter can lead to profuse bleeding. Sometimes an ectopic pregnancy leads to a spontaneous abortion.

The first symptoms of pathology are manifested at 7-8 weeks, when the growing fetal egg begins to gradually stretch the tube. Ectopic pregnancy is characterized not only by unpleasant sensations, but also by a whole set of symptoms:

• Severe pain in the lower abdomen, giving up in the anus or legs;
• Unpleasant sensations appear suddenly, amplify at movement;
• Bleeding from the vagina.

This condition is considered extremely dangerous and requires immediate hospitalization of the patient for surgical assistance.

Peeling of the placenta

In some cases, the placenta exfoliates from the walls of the uterus prematurely. Among the main reasons for the development of pathology doctors include severe strokes in the abdomen, hypertension, overstrain. The detachment can be partial and complete. In the first case, the problem is signaled by unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen. In the second case, there is a profuse bleeding from the vagina. There may also be weakness, headaches.

In the early stages of pregnancy, detachment of the placenta is treated medically. In the third trimester, if doctors detect a deficiency of oxygen in the fetus, usually decide on premature birth.

Isthmicocervical insufficiency

This pathology is often diagnosed in women with a complicated obstetric-gynecological anamnesis. It is characterized by weakness of the internal pharynx of the cervix, which causes its gradual unfolding outside of the delivery. This condition is very dangerous, because it threatens to infect the fetus. The main signs are the characteristic pains in the lower abdomen on the left. When pregnancy is late, vaginal discharge appears, and there are no contractions. A woman with suspected istmiko-cervical insufficiency is hospitalized. Treatment involves a complex operation, during which circular seams are placed on the cervix.

Hypertension of the uterus

Many women complain that during pregnancy, the stomach hurts, as with menstruation. This is a common phenomenon, which in medical practice is called the tone of the uterus. Pathology implies an involuntary contraction of her muscles, characterized by the appearance of pain. She can give back.

Normally, the uterus is constantly relaxed and calm. That's why when you have discomfort, you need to see a doctor. Uterine tone in the first trimester often signals a spontaneous abortion that has begun. In later terms, pathology can lead to premature birth. In fact, the problem is not as terrible as it seems at first glance. The main thing is to determine the cause in time and start treatment.

Training fights

Training bouts usually start after 30 weeks. Thus, the uterus "prepares" for the forthcoming birth. If the 38th week of pregnancy is already over , the abdomen hurts and the characteristic discharge from the vagina is noticeable, you should call a team of medical workers and calmly go to a meeting with the baby.

It is very important for every woman to be able to distinguish between training fights from the true ones. The former are characterized by irregularity, short duration. More details about this are told in the preparatory courses for future parturient women.

Non-obstetric causes

Given that in the small pelvis, in addition to the uterus, there are other organs, not always the pain in the lower abdomen on the left during pregnancy signal a threat to the fetus. Common causes of discomfort are diseases and functional disorders. For example, a so-called neurogenic bladder is often diagnosed in women. This is a pathology characterized by frequent urination, but without obvious signs of inflammation. This phenomenon is due to hormonal changes, occurs immediately after the adaptation of the organism to a new status.

Some women are diagnosed with normal cystitis. Such a beginning of pregnancy is considered unfavorable, since the treatment of the disease is associated with the use of antibiotics. It is especially bad if a woman did not know about her interesting situation and used forbidden drugs for therapy. In such cases, pregnant women should be drunk, treated with medicinal herbs and spasmolytics.

In addition to the bladder, changes in the hormonal nature can affect the intestines. Constipation, swelling, and loose stools appear. All this leads to the appearance of discomfort in the left part of the abdominal cavity, because it is there that the rectum is localized. If, for this reason, the abdomen hurts during pregnancy in the early stages, it is necessary to monitor the regularity of the stool and nutrition. The thing is that frequent constipation can adversely affect the development of the fetus.

Medical Examination

In order to identify which body triggered the onset of unpleasant sensations, the pain syndrome should be as detailed as possible. This procedure involves an assessment of the severity and nature of discomfort, as well as its relationship to the position of the body.

Then, during the medical examination, the doctor determines the presence of concomitant symptoms (fever, vaginal discharge, stool disruption). For example, if the side hurts during pregnancy, it is often a question of spontaneous abortion. With ischemic-cervical insufficiency, in addition to discomfort, characteristic vaginal discharge appears.

After examining and collecting an anamnesis for the final diagnosis, a woman is prescribed a comprehensive examination, which includes laboratory and instrumental methods.

Why are the pains during pregnancy not treated?

After determining the cause of discomfort in the lower abdomen, a woman is prescribed treatment. If there is a risk of spontaneous abortion, prescribe drugs to prevent uterine tone. With an ectopic pregnancy, an operation is mandatory. In the case of detachment of the placenta, treatment is performed in a hospital setting. The woman is prescribed spasmolytic drugs (Papaverin, Metacin) and hemostatic agents.

When and why are the pains during pregnancy not treated? If discomfort is due to physiological causes, specific therapy is not needed. This is described in detail at the beginning of the article. When the pain in the lower abdomen is due to non-obstetric causes, treatment is also not usually prescribed in most cases. An exception is cystitis. Such a disorder, as a neurogenic bladder, passes on its own after the body adapts to a new life inside the womb. From constipation, diarrhea, bloating helps to correct the diet. It is recommended that pregnant women give up foods that promote increased gas production and choose healthy and natural foods.

Conclusion

Pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy can have a different etiology. In order not to risk the health of the baby, one should not self-medicate and try to make a diagnosis. It is better to contact a gynecologist who can determine the cause of discomfort and draw up a treatment regimen. Be healthy!