If you are pregnant and feel cramps in your abdomen (the area around your stomach) don’t panic immediately. Cramping and constipation during pregnancy are well associated and is an indication for to ease out, and sometimes it is just a sign of indigestion. Still, cramping can be of serious magnitude in some and need to be medically treated immediately.
Often, it is a case when your muscles and ligaments attached to the uterus are contracted, elevated or stretched during pregnancy. Generally this type of cramping is of short duration and the pain associated is short, mild or sharp. You can notice this type of cramping when getting up from the chair or when coughing or sneezing. There is nothing to worry about. Even women get cramps when they exercise and further stress out muscles and ligaments that are already strained. If you see such signs of cramps while exercising, it is wise to listen to your body. Stop and rest.
Most of the times you can feel constipation cramps in early pregnancy. These cramps are the reminder for pregnant women to watch out what she eats. As before your pregnancy indigestion must have caused cramps. Similarly you need to watch your eating habits and obviously overeating or the wrong foods which might cause stomach cramps. If you are constipated, you will feel cramps that can be very painful and quite often.
Eating the right kind of food and small intervals with lots of fibre, water, juices etc can be of great help to fight constipation and eventually a solution for the constipation cramps.
Quite rarely, but yes cramps are danger signal that should not be ignored. There can be medical conditions that are serious and have cramping as the major symptom. These are:
• Miscarriage: About 1/5th of all pregnancies can end in miscarriage initially in the first trimester of pregnancy. Severe cramping along with the vaginal bleeding can be signal for miscarriage and is often confused with Haemorrhoids. If you feel constant and severe abdominal pain not necessarily with bleeding then there is need to see your doctor right away.
• Ectopic pregnancy: in this case the fertilized egg implants itself outside the uterus generally on the wall. In such cases your pregnancy test will be positive but unfortunately such pregnancy can not survive for long and as growth occurs it ends up with sharp abdominal pain and bleeding.
• Preterm labour: this can occur anytime in the third trimester. Premature babies and delivery are no more uncommon pregnancy and is accompanied by lot of cramping and more precisely labour pains.
About 80% pregnant have cramping and constipation during pregnancy and they should immediately call for their doctors to avoid any complications or bad news.
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