QuestionI am 25 y/o and prego with my 3rd child. well 5th if you need to count the miscarriage and the ectopic pregnancies. Anyway, i have been to the doc several times always complaining of the same thing. I hurt so bad in my lower abdomen. i have had 2 c-sections in the past. I can't do anything to make the pain stop. i hav tried it all. i'm only 25 weeks and i'm really scared that i'm going into preterm again. i did with the others around 5 months. my doc says she can't find anything wrong, baby looks good etc. i can't shake the feeling that something is indeed wrong cause you don't just hurt for no reason right? i have also ben to LD many times for the same problems.nohelp there either. they did giveme a shot 1 timeto stop small contractions. i just don't know what else to do. i can't take thispain anymore. i feel like i've been in labor for months! also i am having some pretty uncomfortable pressure in the vaginal area with this pain. i don't think they believe me or something. cause there has to be a reason or something that can be done. also my last u/s was fine, baby weighed arund 1lb. 13oz. if something happens and i have the baby (katelynn grace) will she be okay? i'm so scared! please help!
AnswerDear Tracy,
I am assuming that each time that you went in with these pains they hooked you up to the monitor to determine whether you were having contractions. The thing is - if they cannot get a reading of any contractions via the monitor or by palpation, then the pain is probably not being caused by uterine contractions. You may be either having Braxton Hicks contractions or some round ligament pain.
Braxton Hicks are sporadic uterine contractions that actually start at about 6 weeks, although you aren't able to feel them that early. Most women don't start to notice them until sometime after mid-pregnancy, if you notice them at all (some women don't). But unlike true labor, during this so-called "false labor" the contractions don't grow consistently longer, stronger, and closer together. To try to lessen any discomfort from Braxton Hicks contractions, you can:
-Change your activity or position. Sometimes walking provides relief, and other times resting eases your contractions. (Real labor contractions, on the other hand, will persist and progress regardless of what you do.)
-Take a warm bath to help your body relax.
-Try drinking a couple glasses of water, since these contractions can sometimes be brought on by dehydration.
-Try relaxation exercises or slow, deep breathing.
Round ligament pain generally refers to a brief, sharp, stabbing pain or a longer-lasting dull ache that pregnant women commonly feel in the lower abdomen or groin, starting in the second trimester.
You may feel round ligament pain as a short jabbing sensation if you suddenly change position, such as when you're getting out of bed or out of a chair or when you cough, roll over in bed, or get out of the bathtub. You may feel it as a dull ache after a particularly active day - when you've been walking a lot or doing some other physical activity.
The round ligaments surround your uterus in your pelvis. As your uterus grows during pregnancy, the ligaments stretch out to accommodate and support it. These changes can occasionally cause pain on one or both sides of your abdomen. You may also feel the pain starting from deep inside your groin, and can move upward and outward on either side to the top of your hips. The pain is internal, but if you were to trace it on your skin, it would follow the bikini line on a very high-cut bathing suit.
Another physical change that happens during the latter weeks of pregnancy is that the pelvic bones begin to separate in preparation for delivery. Your pelvis is a kind of a circular bone that goes all around and almost meets in the middle in front. The two sides do not quite touch; there is a small gap between them connected by fibrocartilaginous tissue reinforced by several ligaments. This area is called the Pubic Symphysis. This is important for helping your pubic bone to move freely, stabilizing the pelvis while allowing a good range of motion. When pregnant, the flexibility of this joint allows the bones to move freely and to expand to help a baby fit through more easily during birth. In fact, the pregnancy hormones relaxin and progesterone help the ligaments of your body to loosen and be even MORE flexible than before, so that there is plenty of "give" and lots of room for the baby to slip right through. Because of these hormones, it is normal for there to be some extra looseness and pelvic pressure in pregnancy. For some women, this pelvic pressure is more pronounced than for others. This discomfort often is the cause of the pregnant waddle many women have.
All you can really do is continue to note the pain to your doctor at each visit. Since you have had previous pregnancies/deliveries, you know that your belly gets hard with contractions. If you feel this happening, don't hesitate to seek medical care.
As far as the viability of a baby at this stage of pregnancy, there are some serious complications. Less than 1% of babies in this country are born this early, but these babies have the most complications. Most of these babies are born at extremely low birthweight (less than 2 pounds, 3 ounces). Almost all require treatment with oxygen, surfactant and mechanical assistance to help them breathe. These babies are too immature to suck, swallow and breathe at the same time, so they must be fed through a vein (intravenously) until they develop these skills. They often cannot yet cry (or you cannot hear them due to the tube in their throat) and they sleep most of the day. These tiny babies have little muscle tone, and most move very little.
These babies are at high risk for one or more of the complications discussed above. However, most babies born after about 26 weeks gestation do survive to one year (about 80% at 26 weeks and about 90% at 27 weeks), although they may face an extended stay in the NICU. Unfortunately, about 25% of these very premature babies develop serious lasting disabilities, and up to half may have milder problems, such as learning and behavioral problems.
I hope this information has helped you and answered your questions. I wish you well.
Brenda
