What causes lower abdominal pain in late pregnancy?

After women become pregnant, especially in the late pregnancy as the due date approaches day by day, their bodies are particularly prone to various symptoms. Among them, lower abdominal pain in the late pregnancy is a symptom that many pregnant women have experienced during pregnancy. When such symptoms first appear, people are often particularly worried, fearing that it is premature birth. Therefore, it is necessary for us to understand what causes this situation. Let's take a look at what causes lower abdominal pain in the late pregnancy.

What causes lower abdominal pain in late pregnancy?

1. The enlarged uterus compresses the ribs and causes abdominal pain

As the baby grows, the expectant mother's uterus also gradually expands. The enlarged uterus constantly stimulates the lower edge of the ribs, which can cause dull rib pain in expectant mothers.

How to deal with it: This is physiological and does not require special treatment. Lying on the left side can help relieve pain.

2. Abdominal pain caused by false labor

In the late pregnancy, false labor may cause mild distension and pain in the lower abdomen. It often occurs in the dead of night and disappears at dawn. The frequency of contractions is inconsistent, the duration is not constant, the intervals are long and irregular, the intensity of contractions does not gradually increase, and there is no feeling of falling, and the symptoms are relieved during the day.

How to deal with it: False labor indicates that the pregnant woman will soon go into labor, so she should be prepared, such as getting enough rest, eating more high-energy foods such as chocolate, and conserving her energy. At the same time, you need to be familiar with the fetal movement pattern before delivery: the uterine contractions before delivery are rhythmic, and each contraction goes from weak to strong, lasting for a period of time, generally 30-40 seconds, and then disappears and enters an interval period of 5-6 minutes.

3. Fetal movement causes abdominal pain

Fetal movements are most noticeable between 28 and 32 weeks. At 20 weeks, the average number of fetal movements per day is about 200, which increases to 375 at 32 weeks. The number of fetal movements per day may range from 100 to 700. After 32 weeks, the fetus gradually occupies the space in the uterus, and his (her) space for movement will become smaller and smaller, but he (she) will occasionally still kick you very hard. When his or her head hits the muscles of your pelvic floor, you will suddenly feel like you have been hit hard.

How to deal with it: Self-test fetal movement. Starting from the 28th week of pregnancy, count the fetal movements three times a day, morning, noon and evening, for one hour each time. Add the total and multiply by 4 to get the fetal movements in 12 hours. If the fetal movement is ≥30/12 hours or ≤3 times/hour, it is normal.

The above is an introduction to what causes lower abdominal pain in late pregnancy. After understanding it, we know that there are many reasons for this phenomenon. After all, everyone's physique is different. It is worth noting that if you cannot confirm the cause, you must go to the hospital for regular check-ups, because premature birth may also cause this phenomenon, so it must be taken seriously by expectant mothers.