Pregnancy | Pulling in the stomach

Pregnancy

If a woman has no menstrual bleeding and then suffers from spotting and abdominal pain, the gynecologist should check whether an ectopic pregnancy is present. This is an emergency in gynaecology because there is a risk of the fallopian tube rupturing. An ectopic pregnancy must be treated surgically.

However, even in normal pregnancies, pulling in the abdomen can occur. Especially in the first trimester, abdominal pain is more common as the embryo implants in the uterus and the body prepares for the progressive pregnancy by stretching the various muscles and ligaments of the uterus. If, however, bleeding occurs at the same time as the pain, it should be checked whether the pregnancy is still intact or whether a miscarriage may have occurred.

During the course of the pregnancy, the embryo grows and with it the uterus. It takes up more space in the abdomen and displaces other organs. This process can also cause pulling or cramping pain.

Pulling in the abdomen can also be caused by fetal movements or kicks. At this stage, pulling in the abdomen must be considered in a differentiated manner, as a distinction must be made between child movements, exercise contractions and premature contractions. In contrast to birth-initiating contractions, they occur less frequently and last less.

An exact differentiation of the different types of contractions is possible by means of a CTG, which is made at the gynecologist or in the hospital. Of course, other organs or internal diseases can also trigger abdominal contractions during pregnancy. This distinction can be made by the gynaecologist when examining the woman and the unborn child.

Pulling in the abdomen during ovulation

A pulling in the abdomen can also be an expression of ovulation in women. Ovulation is the most fertile phase of the female cycle.Not everyone feels the ovulation, but some perceive the ovulation as a so-called “Mittelschmerz”. Many women also have back pain or sensitive breasts during ovulation.

The pain during ovulation is perceived differently. Individually, the duration, intensity and quality of the pain (stabbing, pulling) are assessed differently. The pain can be triggered by various causes.

On the one hand, ovulation triggers a slight bleeding, which can irritate the peritoneum. This irritation of the peritoneum can trigger the pain, since the peritoneum is very densely innervated. On the other hand, the jumping follicle itself can trigger the pain due to its size.