women s health issues
Pelvic Pain During Early Pregnancy
Causes of Pelvic Pain in Early Pregnancy
During pregnancy, pelvic pain may result from disorders that are related to The pregnancy The female reproductive system but not the pregnancy Other organs, particularly the digestive tract and urinary tract Sometimes no particular cause is identified. Themost common pregnancy-related causesof pelvic pain during early pregnancy are Normal changes of pregnancy A Miscarriage (spontaneous abortion) An Ectopic Pregnancy (a pregnancy that is implanted outside the uterus, for example, in a fallopian tube)— the most serious cause of pelvic pain during early pregnancy An ectopic pregnancy is life threatening. A pregnancy implanted outside the uterus will not develop normally. As the pregnancy grows in a fallopian tube or other body part (such as the ovary, cervix, or abdomen), it may cause that part to burst. This leads to severe pain and heavy bleeding, which can result in severe harm or even death to the pregnant woman. When an ectopic pregnancy is diagnosed, the treatment is to end the pregnancy with medications or remove it with surgery. Pelvic pain may also occur when an ovary twists around the ligaments and the tissues that support it, cutting off the ovary's blood supply. This disorder, called Adnexal Torsion , is not related to the pregnancy but is more common during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the ovaries enlarge, making an ovary more likely to twist. Common causes of pelvic pain in general,which are also common causes during pregnancy, are digestive and urinary tract disorders, including the following: Overview of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) (UTIs) Stones in the Urinary Tract None Adnexal Torsion (infection of the digestive tract) None Appendicitis None None Urinary tract infections occur more frequently during pregnancy, and there is an increased risk of the infection spreading from the bladder to a kidney and becoming a more serious infection. Various characteristics (risk factors) increase the risk of some pregnancy-related disorders that cause pelvic pain. Formiscarriage,risk factors include the following: Age over 35 One or more Miscarriage in previous pregnancies Smoking (Tobacco) None Use of illicit drugs, such as Cocaine , or possibly other substances, such as Abnormalities in the uterus, such as Stones in the Urinary Tract , scarring, or an abnormal uterine shape Forectopic pregnancy,risk factors include the following: A previous ectopic pregnancy (the most important risk factor) Previous abdominal surgery, especially surgery for permanent sterilization (tubal ligation) Fallopian tube abnormalities (for example, a swollen fallopian tube, called a hydrosalpinx) Current use of an Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) (IUD) Use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (in vitro fertilization) to conceive current pregnancy Additional risk factors for ectopic pregnancy include history of Overview of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) or 