Pain in the upper abdomen during early pregnancy | Pain during early pregnancy

Pain in the upper abdomen during early pregnancy

Pain in the upper abdomen during early pregnancy can also have various causes. Quite a few women suffer from abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting due to the hormonal changes, especially in the first months of pregnancy. In advanced pregnancy, pain in the upper abdomen in particular is more frequent because the growing child exerts increased pressure on the internal organs.

However, upper abdominal pain can also occur in early pregnancy, but then more often has other causes. One cause that must be considered is heartburn during pregnancy. Due to the increased production of stomach acid and the slackening of the oesophageal sphincter, stomach acid can flow back into the oesophagus and cause burning pain.

Gastritis can also cause pain in the upper abdomen. In both cases, inhibition of the production of gastric acid can relieve the symptoms. The therapy should be clarified with a doctor.

A disease caused by pregnancy that can cause pain in the upper abdomen is the so-called HELLP syndrome. This usually occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy and should therefore only be mentioned here briefly. Finally, upper abdominal pain must also be considered in connection with diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts and the pancreas. Appendicitis can also begin with upper abdominal pain, which later moves to the right lower abdomen. Persistent and severe pain should in any case be clarified by a doctor.

Pain in the groin during early pregnancy

During pregnancy, the pelvis and its numerous ligament structures are exposed to enormous stress. Already during early pregnancy, the body begins to loosen the ligamentous apparatus so that enough space is created for the growing child to emerge through the maternal pelvis at the end of the pregnancy. The loosening of the ligaments can be accompanied by pain and can be very uncomfortable at times.

Since many muscles pass through the groin area and many ligament structures are also anchored in this area, the groin can also hurt in early and late pregnancy. This is usually no cause for concern. However, pain that persists and/or is very severe should also make you think of other causes.

For example, inguinal pain can also be caused by a hernia. This can be independent of the pregnancy or also caused by the loosening in the pelvic area and later the increasing pressure in the abdominal cavity caused by the growing child. In the case of an inguinal hernia, the pain is often intensified by processes that increase the pressure in the abdomen, for example coughing, sneezing and pressing during bowel movements.

In addition, the hernia sac, which bulges outwards through the abdominal wall, can often be palpated in this area. Muscular tension or swollen inguinal lymph nodes can also cause the symptoms. The latter can, for example, increase in size as a result of infections in the urogenital area and then cause groin pain. This can be determined during a physical examination by a doctor. If the symptoms do not improve within a few days, this should be done without fail.