Is it normal to have some abdominal pain during pregnancy?

Severe or persistent abdominal pain should never be ignored.

Below we’ll describe the most common causes of abdominal pain and discomfort during pregnancy, but don’t try to diagnose yourself. If you experience abdominal pain or cramping along with spotting, bleeding, fever, chills, vaginal discharge, faintness, discomfort while urinating, or nausea and vomiting, or if the pain doesn’t subside after several minutes of rest, call your practitioner.

What serious problems can cause abdominal pain during pregnancy?

Ectopic pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, typically in one of the fallopian tubes. If left untreated, an ectopic pregnancy can rupture and be life threatening. Call your practitioner immediately if you have any of the following symptoms: abdominal or pelvic pain or tenderness, vaginal spotting or bleeding (can be red or brown, copious or scant, continuous or intermittent), pain that gets worse during physical activity or while moving your bowels or coughing, or pain in the tip of your shoulder.
Vaginal spotting or bleeding is generally the first symptom, followed by abdominal pain a few hours to a few days later.
The pain may feel crampy or persistent, mild or sharp, and may feel more like low back pain or pelvic pressure.
Call your practitioner if you have signs of a miscarriage. If you have severe pain or heavy bleeding, you need to be seen immediately.
There’s wide variation in symptoms. You’re diagnosed with preeclampsia if you have high blood pressure and protein in your urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
If you have symptoms of preeclampsia, call your doctor or midwife immediately.
Symptoms of a bladder infection may include pain, discomfort, or burning when urinating; pelvic discomfort or lower abdominal pain (often just above the pubic bone); a frequent or uncontrollable urge to pee, even when there’s very little urine in the bladder; and cloudy, foul-smelling, or bloody urine. Call your caregiver if you have any of these symptoms because an untreated bladder infection can lead to a kidney infection and premature labor.

Other causes
Many other conditions can cause abdominal pain, whether you’re pregnant or not. The pressure of the growing uterus on previously scarred intestinal tissue may cause bowel obstruction. Not all abdominal discomfort is a sign of a serious problem during pregnancy. Call your caregiver if this discomfort continues even after you’ve rested.

Call your provider if the contractions are accompanied by lower back pain, if you feel more than four contractions an hour (even if they don’t hurt), if they’re coming at regular intervals, or if you have any other signs of premature labor.

Pregnancy Back Pain
Summarize from Abid Hussain

The Aches and Pains of Pregnancy

Women with pre-existing back pain prior to pregnancy have an easier time adjusting to the discomfort as the pregnancy develops. Proper medical advice and treatment can prevent back pain from becoming a complication when labor occurs.

Causes of Pregnancy Back Pain

Two categories of back pain during pregnancy are caused by:

1.) Strained ligaments, muscles, discs and joints - caused by poor posture, incorrect lifting methods, weak or taut muscles, or injury, this type of back pain can occur with people even before pregnancy. A minority of pregnant women may experience symptoms of sciatica during the course of their pregnancy. Other symptoms include tingling, weakness, backaches, and pain traveling down one leg.

2.) Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) - this back pain is pregnancy-related and may need to be treated differently from standard back pain. A majority of pregnant women who experience back pain during pregnancy suffer from this ailment.

Preventing Back Pain

By making sure the body is fit and healthy before getting pregnant can help prevent back pain. Even if pregnancy has already occurred, keeping fit is still possible through exercise specially tailored for pregnant women (refer to antenatal fitness portion). These exercises can lower the risks of developing pregnancy-related back pain. Women unaccustomed to exercise are advised to take it slow.

Ways to Alleviate Back Pain

• Massage performed by a massage therapist, a midwife, or a physiotherapist may further relieve back pain.
• Wearing a support belt - a maternity or support belt can help hold up the baby’s weight, easing the strain on the stomach and back muscles.
• Strength and stability exercises - exercises involving the pelvis and lower abdominals can strengthen back and stomach muscles to help support the baby’s weight.
• Having a good posture - this helps particularly if pain symptoms are centred on the tailbone, or coccyx.
• Aqua-natal classes - according to research, these water exercises can significantly decrease pregnancy-related back pain.

Using Good Posture To Prevent Back Pain During Pregnancy
Summarize from Sky Joe

Maintaining a good posture is crucial for pregnant women during the various stages of pregnancy, especially if you wish to avoid back pain during pregnancy. This is because the sudden weight gain during pregnancy will add an increased risk of strain to the spine and bad posture can extrapolate this risk.

The most common recommended sleep position during pregnancy is in a side lying position, preferably on the left side, as there is optimal blood flow to both the mother and baby. Positioning with pillows is the key to keeping your spine neutral in bed. Sleeping with a pillow between your knees keeps the legs separated in order to allow the pelvis to remain in its neutral position. During pregnancy, the abdominals are stretched and weaker and thus increased the risk of resulting in pregnancy back pain.