The state of pregnancy is associated not only with pleasant emotions, but also with a certain discomfort, which manifests itself in different ways. Often women complain that their stomach hurts during pregnancy. Do not ignore this symptom, since an emergency diagnosis will help establish the cause of the pain.
Stomach pain during pregnancy: signs
First you need to correctly determine the source of pain, not confusing with intestinal diseases. The stomach is located above the navel under the rib arch of the chest. As a rule, painful sensations arise in the fourth left intercostal space. A woman should listen to her body and remember such phenomena in order to tell the doctor how the stomach hurts during pregnancy.
Signs to pay attention to:
- unpleasant pain after eating acidic and rough foods. If it is dull and aching, then this may mean the presence of chronic gastritis;
- cramping and sharp pains that accrue an hour after eating. They may indicate serious diseases of the esophagus, duodenal ulcer, stomach cancer;
- stitching and cutting pain of an intense nature. Often lead to pain shock and are symptoms of perforated ulcers or duodenitis;
- stomach hurts. Prolonged burning pain occurs with gastritis;
- a feeling of fullness and heaviness in the stomach means the presence of cholecystitis, pancreatitis or colitis.
If the stomach hurts during pregnancy, then you should not panic and seek out the listed diseases. Tell your gynecologist and he will prescribe tests and recommend treatment.
What else could be the reasons that the stomach hurts during pregnancy?
During the bearing of a child, many changes occur in the body of a woman. As a result, stomach discomfort may be associated with physiological changes:
- an increase in the uterus, which presses on the internal organs;
- increased levels of the hormone progesterone. It relaxes the intestinal wall, which causes discomfort.
The stomach hurts during pregnancy also as a result of:
- overeating, or eating “heavy” and rough food;
- physical activity with tension of the abdominal muscles;
- reactions to an allergenic product;
- viral or infectious disease;
- suffered trauma or stress.
If the expectant mother previously suffered from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, then during the bearing of the child these diseases can worsen.
Stomach Disease Prevention
In order to avoid discomfort and have a healthy stomach and intestines, the following recommendations must be observed:
- stick to a balanced diet. Exclude fried, salty, sour and smoked foods from the diet;
- eat in small portions;
- add more fruits and vegetables to the diet, and exclude bakery products;
- Do not eat cabbage, peas and beans, as these foods contribute to the formation of gas in the stomach.
If you experience pain, do not take chemicals. Make a choice in favor of homeopathy, as well as decoctions of herbs, such as chamomile. Before taking any medicine, you should get the recommendations of an observing gynecologist.