Due to the ever-increasing physical strain on pregnant women during pregnancy, cramps in the legs and also in the abdomen occur frequently and are regarded by those affected as a rather rare and serious problem. Due to the increase in weight and size of the child and uterus, the leg, abdominal and back muscles can quickly and easily become overloaded, causing them to cramp reactively. Cramps occur most frequently in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, as this is when the strain on the pregnant woman is greatest. About 14% of all pregnant women suffer from calf cramps during pregnancy.
Abdominal cramps during pregnancy
Cramps and occasional sensation of pain in the abdominal area – both in the lower abdomen and in the upper abdomen – are normal during pregnancy to a certain extent and usually not worrying. Particularly with advanced developmental stages of the child in the womb, the increase in size of the unborn child and the uterus leads to increasing stress on the internal organs, the abdominal and back muscles, the ligamentous apparatus of the pelvis and the surrounding vascular and nerve tracts. Thus, the pressure on the displaced intestinal loops can lead to cramp-like abdominal pain.
In the same way, however, permanent overloading of the trunk muscles as a result of overexertion, poor circulation (due to compressed vessels) or disturbed transmission of stimuli (due to nerve compression) can lead to cramps in the abdominal muscles. In addition, there can always be causes that have nothing to do with the pregnancy: appendicitis, kidney or bladder stones, cystitis or gallbladder diseases can occur parallel to an existing pregnancy and lead to pain and cramps in the abdomen. However, if the abdominal cramps do not stop on their own after a few minutes or if other symptoms such as bleeding, nausea/vomiting or fever occur, these should be urgently clarified by the treating gynecologist.
Especially in the first third of the pregnancy, longer and more frequent cramping episodes in the abdomen accompanied by bleeding may be associated with an impending miscarriage or a pregnancy outside the uterus (extrauterine pregnancy, e.g. ectopic pregnancy). In contrast, atypical abdominal cramps in the last third of the pregnancy may indicate a possible threat of premature birth. In this case, the perceived abdominal cramps are caused by the contraction of the uterine muscles or by contractions, which – although still too early – are intended to expel the child. In addition, myomas (benign muscle tumors of the uterus) which already existed before pregnancy can, depending on their size and location, lead to cramps in the uterus or even premature labor.
