When a woman is expecting a baby, she can also expect bouts of abdominal and pelvic pain every now and then. This pain is harmless only as long as it’s mild and momentary. But, a severe and persistent pain, especially if accompanied by bleeding, nausea, vomiting, seeing spots and flashing lights, shouldn’t be ignored. This pain could be indicative of a serious problem like a miscarriage, a urinary tract infection, ectopic pregnancy, preterm labor, preeclampsia, or abruption of the placenta. See your doctor immediately to avoid any complications.
Usually, pelvic pain occurs when the woman first misses her periods, as the embryo begins to embed in the soft lining of the uterus, which is now getting prepared to carry the baby. After that, there may be a sudden and sharp pain in the groin or on one side during the third or fourth month of pregnancy. This is called round ligament pain and it occurs when the ligaments around the uterus stretch and thicken to support the growing baby. The pain gets worse if the woman suddenly gets up, moves, coughs, stretches, or rolls over on the bed. Constipation, bloating and gas are also known to cause pain in the abdominal and pelvic region. The growing belly pressurizes the rectum, leading to constipation. Also, hormones slow down the digestion and the uterus presses on the intestine causing gas. Finally, in the sixth week of pregnancy, women experience Braxton Hick Contractions, the irregular contractions of the uterus that actually start from early pregnancy. The name comes from Dr. Braxton Hick who explained it for the first time in 1872. These contractions are irregular and infrequent. However, if one experiences them more than four times in an hour, it may be preterm labor. Consult your doctor immediately, in such a case.
There aren’t any real home remedies for the uterus or pelvic pain. Just have a healthy diet and lots of water to make sure that you don’t suffer from constipation. Exercising is also very important but do not overdo it; just walking would be good enough. A warm shower or bath also helps in easing the pain out. You can also make a compress of a towel soaked in warm water and place it on the area that hurts because it will bring you relief. And when you do experience the pain, just relax and get some rest. You must also avoid getting up suddenly and other jerky movements.