Does Your Stomach Hurt If Your Pregnant

How Soon Can You Get Symptoms And Signs Of Pregnancy

Most pregnancy symptoms will start to appear around five or six weeks after your last menstrual period. Usually symptoms wont appear immediately, as it takes a few weeks to develop them. Having symptoms a few days after sex isnt usually a sign of pregnancy, and can actually be due to something else such as PMS.

However, a missed period, fatigue or morning sickness before this five-week mark could indicate pregnancy,Lesley Gilchrist, registered midwife and co-founder of My Expert Midwife, says. The most common early signs are missing a period and feeling out of sorts and not yourself- often feeling overwhelmingly tired and needing to sleep a lot.

Morning sickness is also common and can take on several forms for different people, such as feeling nauseous at certain times of the day or all day, vomiting, dizziness or a combination of all these. The need to wee a lot can also be common and is caused by changing hormones in the early days, as are tender, swollen breasts which are sensitive when touched.

Pregnancy Nausea Or Vomiting

It’s very common — and normal — to have an upset stomach when you’re pregnant.

Chalk it up to pregnancy’s hormonal changes. It usually happens early in pregnancy, while your body is adjusting to the higher hormone levels.

Good news: Nausea usually disappears by the fourth month of pregnancy . It can happen at any time of the day but may be worse in the morning, when your stomach is empty or if you aren’t eating enough.

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Changes In Your Body During Pregnancy: Second Trimester

Last Updated January 2021 | This article was created by familydoctor.org editorial staff and reviewed by Leisa Bailey, MD

A womans body continues to change in the second trimester of her pregnancy. The second trimester is often defined as weeks 13 through 26. During this time, your baby continues to grow and develop almost daily. This means your belly grows more, and youll notice other changes as well.

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Does Your Stomach Hurt Two Weeks Into Pregnancy

Many women will notice that they feel uterine cramping as an early sign and symptom pregnancy. You could even feel period like cramps or even pain on one side. The most common reason for this kind of cramp is that your uterus is growing. This is normal pain and should be expected in a healthy pregnancy.

Left Lower Quadrant Pain In Pregnancy

In this series

Many conditions can cause pain in the left lower quadrant whether you are pregnant or not, so you should always get checked out.

Even if you are pregnant, you can still have tummy pain caused by all the same conditions seen in non-pregnant women. You can find out more about these in our leaflet called Left Lower Quadrant Pain. The rest of this leaflet looks only at causes specific to pregnancy.

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How To Treat Stomach Cramps During The First Trimester

Needless to say, painful cramps during early pregnancy can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. You might be experiencing physical and emotional changes, and adding cramps to your discomfort might feel overwhelming. Treating pregnancy cramps can help you feel more comfortable and as stress free as possible.

If youre experiencing cramps, here are a few tips for alleviating them quickly:

• Drink water. You are more likely to experience cramps if you are dehydrated. Make sure that you drink at least eight cups of water each day.
• Change positions. When you experience cramps, try shifting positions while lying or sitting down. Dont put pressure on the source of the pain.
• Stretch and exercise. Try doing mild pregnancy exercises or stretch your body to soothe cramped muscles. In addition to relieving active cramps, this can also help prevent future ones.
• Gentle massage. A massage can stimulate blood circulation in your muscles, relieving uncomfortable cramps. Getting a gentle lower back massage might help relieve aches.
• Sleep. Try to get a good nights sleep during early pregnancy as this makes you feel rested. Try to get enough sleep every night.

Skin Stretching And/or Muscle Pain

As your pregnancy continues into the second and third trimesters, your growing bump may stretch your skin tight. The added weight can also put extra pressure on your muscles.

In addition to remembering to moisturize to keep your skin hydrated and stretch marks to a minimum, you may find maternity belts/belly bands helpful when the weight of your growing belly is bothering you.

Pregnancy pillows can help you find a supported position for your body to rest while lounging, watching tv, or sleeping.

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When To See Your Doctor

Continue to visit your doctor for ongoing prenatal appointments. Usually, these occur about once a month. Ask your doctor questions about the process and tell them about any concerns you have. Contact them if you have unusual changes or symptoms, especially if you have vaginal bleeding, leakage of clear fluid, burning with urination, leg swelling, or abdominal pains.

How To Tell If You’re Pregnant Right Away

The only way to tell if youre pregnant right away is by taking a home pregnancy test according to its instructions. Waiting can be difficult, but you can usually take a test three to four days before a missed period though youre more likely to get a false negative if you test too soon. If its negative, wait a couple more days and test again if Aunt Flo doesnt come to visit.

Be sure to test first thing in the morning, when your urine and the hormone that the test is measuring are most concentrated. If you see a line indicating a pregnancy, youre almost certainly pregnant . Pregnancy tests with false positives are rare.

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Stomach Pain During Pregnancy: Causes And Treatment

Upper stomach pain pain during pregnancy can be a normal part of the process as your body changes to accommodate your growing baby. While there are many harmless causes of this abdominal pain, some may be more serious. As an expectant mother, it is important to educate yourself on all potential causes so you are able to recognize symptoms that may cause concern.

Diagnosing Stomach Pain During Pregnancy

Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms, check your blood pressure, and perform a physical exam. They will most likely look at the fetus with an ultrasound as well.

Additional tests will depend on what the doctor suspects may be causing the pain but may include blood tests and other imaging.

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Warning Symptoms And Signs

Although sharp pain may be caused by normal pregnancy-related changes, there exist certain warning signs you should be on the lookout for, in case this sharp pain you are experiencing is because of a complication. They include:

• Pain accompanied by change in vaginal discharge, vomiting, heavy bleeding, chills, or fever
• If you experience sharp continual pain after adjusting or resting
• If this stomach pain makes it difficult for you to speak, breathe, or walk

Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy

Normal vaginal secretions increase during pregnancy due to greater blood supply and hormones. Normal vaginal discharge is white or clear, isn’t irritating, is odorless, and may look yellow when dry on your underwear or panty liners.

Recommendations:

• Wear low-heeled shoes.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects.
• Squat down with your knees bent when picking things up instead of bending down at the waist.
• Don’t stand on your feet for long periods. If you need to stand for long periods, place one foot on a stool or box for support.
• Sit in a chair with good back support, or place a small pillow behind your lower back. Also, place your feet on a footrest or stool.
• Check that your bed is firm. If needed, put a board between the mattress and box spring.
• Sleep on your left side with a pillow between your legs for support.
• Apply a hot water bottle or heating pad on low setting to your back, take a warm bath or shower, or try massage.
• Perform exercises, as advised by your health care provider, to make your back muscles stronger and help relieve the soreness.
• Maintain good posture. Standing up straight will ease the strain on your back.
• Contact your health care provider if you have a low backache that goes around your stomach and does not go away within one hour after you change position or rest. This might be a sign of premature labor.

Continued

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When To Call Your Doctor

Talk to your doctor if:

• You have severe nausea and vomiting, dehydration, a persistent rapid heartbeat, or pale, dry skin you may have hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness.
• You have vaginal spotting or bleeding you may be having a miscarriage or serious placental complication.
• You have sudden weight gain over a few days, severe headache, or blurred vision you may have preeclampsia, a form of high blood pressure that can endanger your health and the health of your baby.
• You have a fever over 100 F and chills, backache, or blood in your urine you may have a kidney infection or other infection.
• After the baby begins to move, you feel less or no movement for more than 2 hours your baby may be in fetal distress.
• You feel wetness or a leaking of fluid, unlike normal vaginal secretions or urinary leakage you may have ruptured membranes or leaking of amniotic fluid.

Continued

Is It Bad To Swallow Toothpaste After Brushing Teeth

It would be best if you werent ingesting a lot of toothpaste as its fluoride is harmful to your stomach. But if youre consuming a bit of it while brushing, thats completely fine and shouldnt cause any issues.

Ingesting toothpaste can cause stomach pain and other problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease.

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How To Cope With It

It is always a very good idea to get in touch with your healthcare provider when you discover sharp pain during your pregnancy.

When you are experiencing stabbing or sharp pain during your pregnancy, there are certain steps, which you can carry out in a bid to try and alleviate this pain:

• Take a walk
• Experiment with different sitting and sleeping positions
• Controlled breathing/breathing exercises

Loss Of Appetite For Favourite Foods

Pregnancy can really mess with your eating habits, thats for sure. As well as craving foods you may not have previously been interested in, you can actually lose a taste for some foods and drinks that are usually a big part of your normal diet. Women sometimes go off staples such as coffee, tea or fatty foods. Changes in tastes and a heightened sense of smell are very common and can persist throughout pregnancy but do tend to be strongest early on, Dr Knight explained.

What else could it be?People often experience a loss in appetite when theyre feeling anxious or stressed. This is because anxiety triggers emotional and psychological changes in your body to help you deal with the pressure, they often affect the stomach and digestive tract and can make you lose your appetite. When youre feeling more relaxed, your appetite should return back to normal.

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Can Hitting Your Pregnant Belly Hurt Your Baby

How much pressure can a pregnant belly take? Whether it’s a little collision or a more serious fall, here’s what to know and when to worry if you accidentally hit or bump your pregnant stomach.

A stranger’s elbow here, a kitchen counter thereas your pregnancy progresses, you may feel like your abdomen’s on a collision course with the world. You might even find yourself wondering, “How much pressure can a pregnant belly take?”

It’s not just your imagination: Many factors during pregnancy make your belly bump-prone, such as loose ligaments and joints, a growing girth , and a feeling of being somewhat distracted.

Thankfully, there’s no need to worry every time you bump your tummy even a front-forward fall or a kick from your toddler is unlikely to hurt your baby-to-be.

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“Mother Nature provides a safe and protected environment for a fetus, which floats in amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac, which in turn is protected by the muscles of both the uterus and the abdomen,” says Owen Montgomery, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences. The spine in back and the pelvis and rib cage in front also form bony barriers.

When Should I Report Stomach Pain In Pregnancy

Stomach pain can be very worrying for pregnant women. Pain can make you fear the worst, such as a miscarriage. Its important to listen to your own instincts. If you are worried about any pains youre having, or you just feel like something is wrong, contact your midwife. Dont be concerned about wasting anyones time. Its always best to get things checked out.

If you are having persistent stomach pain or cramping, or if the pain comes on suddenly it should be checked by a doctor or midwife immediately.

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Pregnancy Bleeding And Swollen Gums

You may not have expected pregnancy to affect your mouth. But your blood circulation and hormone levels can make your gums tender and swollen, and you may notice they bleed more easily. You may also develop nose bleeds.

Recommendations:

• Get a dental checkup early in your pregnancy to make sure your teeth and mouth are healthy. See your dentist if you notice a particular problem.
• Brush your teeth, floss regularly and rinse daily with an antiseptic mouthwash.

In The First Trimester

In the first trimester, hormonal changes will have an effect on close to all the organs that are in your body. Early pregnancy symptoms occurring at this stage include:

• Weight gain or loss
• Frequent urination
• Constipation

In early pregnancy, abdominal pain should not be a source of concern. But, in case it is accompanied by additional symptoms, you may need to get professional medical help, as it may be a sign of:

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What Do You Need To Know About Missed Period And Stomach Cramps

WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms missed or late menstrual period and stomach cramps including Ectopic pregnancy, Irritable bowel syndrome, and Gastroenteritis. There are 18 conditions associated with missed or late menstrual period and stomach cramps.

Causes Of Stomach Pain During Pregnancy

In addition to round ligament pain and cramps, other conditions may cause stomach pain during your pregnancy. Many women who are pregnant can experience:

• Urinary tract infection

Any of these conditions can cause sharp stomach pain. In addition, women may experience completely unrelated issues. For example, kidney stones occur as frequently in pregnant women as in women who are not.

While plenty of stomach pains are normal during pregnancy, if the pain is sharp and sudden, call a doctor. Sharp stomach pain is also one of the primary symptoms for the following serious pregnancy complications:

Ectopic pregnancy

In an ectopic pregnancy, the egg implants outside of the uterus, most often in the fallopian tubes. Ectopic pregnancies are not viable. If they are not caught in time, the eggs may cause the fallopian tubes to rupture, which can cause severe abdominal pain. A ruptured fallopian tube is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate medical treatment.

Early pregnancy loss

Also known as a miscarriage or spontaneous abortion, early pregnancy loss can occur during the first trimester. The fetus may be damaged, have an abnormal number of chromosomes, or fail to develop correctly. Early pregnancy loss affects about one in ten pregnancies.

Preeclampsia

Placental abruption

Preterm labor

• A change in vaginal discharge
• Severe pain that makes it difficult to walk, speak, or breathe

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When Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy Is Serious

Although many women who experience abdominal pain have healthy pregnancies, there are times when abdominal pain can pose a serious risk. If you exhibit any severe symptoms, such as those discussed below, please consult your medical care professional immediately.

• Ectopic Pregnancy: Occurring in 1 out of 50 pregnancies, an ectopic pregnancy is when the egg is implanted anywhere other than the uterus. Most often, the egg is implanted in the fallopian tube. Sadly, an ectopic pregnancy cannot continue to term and requires medical treatment. In the unlikely event that you have an ectopic pregnancy, you may experience intense pain and bleeding between your 6th and 10th weeks of pregnancy. Women at increased risk for ectopic pregnancies include those who have had an ectopic pregnancy in the past or have had endometriosis, a tubal ligation, or an intrauterine device in place at the time of conception. Learn more about Ectopic Pregnancies.

• Placental abruption: Placental abruption is a life-threatening condition in which the placenta separates from your uterus before the baby is born. One symptom of placental abruption is constant pain that causes your stomach to stay hard for an extended period of time without relief. Another sign is bloody fluid or premature breakage of your water. Additional symptoms include tenderness in your abdomen, back pain, or fluid discharge that includes traces of blood. You can access the complete Placental Abruption article here.

Causes Of Cramping In Early Pregnancy

It is common to experience mild pain or cramps in your abdomen during pregnancy. In most cases, abdominal pain in early pregnancy is caused by normal bodily changes such as:

• Implantation When a fertilized egg forms a blastocyst and implants into the lining of the uterine wall, it can cause a bit of cramping in your lower abdomen. This is known as implantation cramping and is often one of the first signs of pregnancy.
• Uterine growth During the first two trimesters, there is rapid uterine growth to accommodate the growing fetus. This can also lead to early pregnancy cramping. As the ligaments and muscles that support the uterus also grow, you might experience sharp pain when you stand, change position, or sneeze/cough.
• Orgasm If you have sex while pregnant, you may experience cramps after an orgasm. The pain may feel similar to a period cramp and usually goes away quickly. This doesnt mean that you have to stop having sex if youre pregnant, though. That being said, if the pain is severe and accompanied by bleeding, consult with your health care provider immediately.

In rare cases, early pregnancy cramps may be caused by the following pregnancy problems:

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