Is it normal for pregnant women to have cramps

Call your healthcare provider if your constipation is severe or if you also have: Abdominal pain Diarrhea Mucus or blood in your stool Cramping during orgasm You may notice a bit of cramping during or right after an orgasm.

Call your healthcare provider if you have more than mild cramping that doesn't go away after a few minutes or if you have: Pain Bleeding Discharge Miscarriage Miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks. Symptoms of an early pregnancy loss might include: Vaginal bleeding or spotting Abdominal cramps.

The pain may be mild or sharp, intermittent or constant. Cramping might feel like the cramps you have with a menstrual period. It may also feel more like lower back pain or pelvic pressure. Passing of tissue or clot-like material from the vagina Call your provider if you have signs of a miscarriage.

Ectopic pregnancy An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, typically in one of the fallopian tubes. Call your provider immediately if you have any of the following symptoms: Abdominal or pelvic cramping or pain or tenderness especially sharp, sudden pain that happens only on one side Vaginal spotting or bleeding Pain that gets worse during physical activity or while moving your bowels or coughing Low back pain If the fallopian tube ruptures, it's a medical emergency.

Go to an emergency room immediately or call if you have any of the following symptoms: Shoulder pain in addition to abdominal pain This is from a buildup of blood under your diaphragm caused by the ruptured fallopian tube. Sudden, severe pain in the abdomen or pelvis Weakness, dizziness, or fainting Urinary tract infections Being pregnant — at any stage — makes you more susceptible to urinary tract infections of all kinds, including kidney infections.

Symptoms of a bladder infection may include: Pain, discomfort, or burning when urinating Soreness or pain in the lower abdominal pain often just above the pubic bone , back, or sides A frequent or uncontrollable urge to pee, even when there's very little urine in the bladder Cloudy, foul-smelling urine, or urine tinged with blood Seek medical attention immediately if you have any of the following signs that the infection might have spread to your kidneys: A high fever, often with shaking, chills, or sweats Pain in your lower or mid-back, abdomen, or side, just under your ribs Nausea and vomiting with any of the above urinary symptoms Pus or blood in your urine Cramping in the second and third trimester In later pregnancy, cramping and abdominal pain can be due to some of the same issues as earlier like gas and bloating, constipation, and sex.

But it can also be caused by: Round ligament pain Round ligament pain is generally a brief, sharp, stabbing pain or a dull ache that you may feel on one or both sides of your lower abdomen or deep in your groin. Braxton Hicks contractions After midpregnancy, you may start to feel a tightening sensation in your uterus from time to time.

Call your provider if: The contractions are accompanied by lower back pain. You feel more than six contractions an hour even if they don't hurt. The contractions are coming at regular intervals. You also have vaginal discharge or bleeding. You have any other signs of premature labor. Preterm labor You're in preterm labor, also known as premature labor, if you start to have contractions that efface or dilate your cervix earlier than 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Call your provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms before then: A dramatic increase in the amount or type of vaginal discharge It may be watery, mucous, or blood-tinged.

Vaginal spotting or bleeding Abdominal cramps, including what feels like period cramps with or without diarrhea Regular or frequent contractions even if they don't hurt A rush or trickle of watery fluid from your vagina ruptured membranes In addition, while some pelvic or lower abdominal pressure and lower backache is normal, call your provider if you have these symptoms in addition to any of the above or if the pain or pressure is constant and new to you.

Placental abruption Placental abruption is a life-threatening condition in which your placenta separates from your uterus, partially or completely, before your baby is born. Symptoms can vary widely but include: Sudden bleeding Leaking bloody amniotic fluid Severe back pain Frequent painful contractions. Your uterus might contract and stay hard like a cramp or contraction that doesn't go away or feel tender.

You might also notice that your baby's activity becomes less frequent. Ovarian cyst An ovarian cyst doesn't usually cause any symptoms or problems during pregnancy. Other causes of cramps during pregnancy Many other conditions can cause cramping, whether you're pregnant or not. Some of the most common causes of cramping or abdominal pain during pregnancy include: Stomach virus Food poisoning Appendicitis Kidney stones Hepatitis or acute fatty liver Gallbladder disease Pancreatitis Fibroids Bowel obstruction Both gallbladder disease and pancreatitis are often a result of gallstones, which are more common during pregnancy.

Is there anything I can do to relieve cramps during pregnancy? If you have minor pain and no symptoms of anything more serious, try these tips to relieve abdominal pain: Move around or do some gentle exercises to relieve gas pain and constipation. Ask you healthcare provider about taking simethicone to help the gas move through. Take a warm not hot bath or shower. Bend toward a pain for relief. Drink plenty of fluids. Try lying down. This might relieve pain caused by Braxton Hicks contractions.

Consider taking acetaminophen according to package directions. It's a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider before taking any medications, even over-the-counter meds, during pregnancy. When to call the doctor for cramps during pregnancy: A visual guide If you're trying to decide whether your cramps warrant a call to the doctor, walk through the questions in this flow chart.

Sources BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. Featured video. Round ligament pain. Your Body. Gas and bloating during pregnancy. Pregnancy symptoms you should never ignore. Vaginal discharge during pregnancy. Braxton Hicks contractions.

New to BabyCenter? Join now. You may feel more pressure and cramping as you walk, as the baby is bouncing around in your belly. Lying down on your side for a while can ease your discomfort. But contact your doctor right away if you feel increasing, steady cramping. Bond added that if a mom-to-be is experiencing this, she should always seek out advice from her doctor as soon as possible.

Especially if your back pains go along with changes in vaginal discharge. There are several simple things that you can do to get some relief. Try scaling back on physical activity and avoid cramp-inducing positions. Enjoying a warm bath nightly before bed, and taking moments in the day to rest quietly and comfortably, should also ease your belly. Wearing a maternity belly band may also offer some comfort from cramping, said Bond.

She recommended wearing a simple, Velcro elastic belt under the belly. Gas pain is common during pregnancy. Sometimes, though, your stomach pain could be a sign of something more serious. Here's what to look out for. We explain what causes stomach tightening during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy. The hormonal and physiologic changes during pregnancy are unique in the life of women. Discover what they are here. A new study finds that epidurals do not affect child development in their later years.

A fetal arrhythmia is an irregular heart rate — too fast, too slow, or otherwise outside the norm. It's often benign. Postpartum diarrhea after a C-section is normal.

Sharing our experiences of pregnancy and infant loss can help us heal. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Causes of pregnancy cramps Ectopic pregnancy Preeclampsia Cramps and the third trimester Relief from cramps Share on Pinterest.

This can result in a feeling of pressure in the area. Lying down to rest or soaking in a warm bath may help relieve these pregnancy pains. An infection in the urinary tract can be symptomless, but often it causes pain or pressure in the pelvic area. Other symptoms include foul-smelling, cloudy or bloody urine, pain and burning when urinating, fever, or the need to pee more often.

A UTI can become serious if left untreated. Fortunately, a short round of antibiotics usually takes care of the infection. Dehydration can cause Braxton Hicks contractions, or practice contractions that usually start midway through pregnancy and are very normal.

Drinking enough water during pregnancy means aiming for about eight to 10 glasses a day. Very early on in your pregnancy, you may experience menstrual-like cramping. Slight twinges and light implantation bleeding are a result of a fertilized egg attaching to the uterine wall, which happens about 6 to 12 days after fertilization and lasts only a day or so at most. An ectopic pregnancy — when a fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus, usually a fallopian tube — can cause first trimester cramps, usually in the lower abdomen.

It may begin as a dull ache and progress to spasms or cramps that may worsen with time. Ectopic pregnancies often also cause vaginal bleeding, shoulder pain, lightheadedness and faintness. If you think you may be experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, see a doctor right away. Ectopic pregnancies are diagnosed with ultrasounds and blood tests around week 5 to 6 of pregnancy. What do miscarriage cramps feel like?

Although most miscarriages happen in the first trimester, they can occur in the second trimester as well. It can be difficult to tell if your early pregnancy cramps are a miscarriage — or simply implantation or your uterus expanding. The most important miscarriage symptom to look out for is bleeding. Unlike implantation cramping, miscarriage cramping is usually accompanied by bleeding that continues for several days and often gets heavier with time.

Round ligaments are bands of tissue that hold the uterus in place. As pregnancy progresses, these ligaments stretch, which can cause aches and cramps or sharp pain that occurs on one or both sides of the lower abdomen. Round ligament pain usually starts in the second trimester but can occur any time in the second half of pregnancy. It often occurs during exercise; after you get out of bed, sneeze, cough or laugh; or when you move suddenly. These cramps during pregnancy can last for anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

For relief, get plenty rest and try to change positions slowly. Braxton Hicks contractions are relatively short only seconds to a couple of minutes and irregular. When you experience a Braxton Hicks cramping during the second trimester of pregnancy onwards, change positions. Keep in mind that placental abruption, preeclampsia and preterm labor can occur during the second trimester as well.