There are things that you just don’t want to experience during pregnancy. There are some events that can indicate that there’s a problem with your baby, and knowing what to watch out for can make a significant difference in being able to stay healthy and deliver a healthy and happy baby. One of those things to be on the watch for is abdominal cramping during pregnancy.
Abdominal cramping during pregnancy is a major cause for concern. To be sure, in some cases mild cramping of the abdomen may not be an indicator that something is wrong, especially if it happens only on an occasional basis.
It’s important to watch for other trouble when you do have abdominal cramping during pregnancy. If your abdominal cramping is persistent, severe, or if it’s accompanied by bleeding or spotting, it’s time to contact your doctor. If you have additional symptoms, such as a fever or light-headedness, you definitely want to get under a doctor’s care.
Sometimes, abdominal cramping during pregnancy can be caused by something else. For example, if your abdominal cramping feels less like period cramping and more like a dull ache across your entire abdomen, it may be that it’s caused by ligament pain. Ligament pain typically is a sharp ache and runs along the side of your abdomen. You’ll most often feel ligament pain when you stand up from a sitting position. It also tends to present itself when you’re coughing. Ligament pain can be treated with a variety of methods, including a maternity belt, having a warm bath, and even doing yoga.
Abdominal cramping during pregnancy that isn’t caused by ligament pain can indicate that you’re miscarrying. It can also indicate a problem with the placenta, or another type of problem with your baby. This is why it’s so important that you make sure to see a doctor as quickly as you can, to know whether there’s a major problem or not.
