ABDOMINAL-PAIN IN PREGNANCY

Abdominal pain in pregnancy is most commonly caused by complications o f the Pregnancy, e.g., abortion, ectopic pregnancy and abruptio placen tae. A careful history and methodical physical examination and, if nec essary, simple ultrasonographic investigations will reveal the cause i n most of these conditions. In a few cases of abdominal pain in pregna ncy a gynaecological condition, such as torsion of an ovarian cyst, or a nongynaecological (medical or surgical) one is the cause. Some of t hese conditions are serious, e.g., acute appendicitis, and unless the correct diagnosis is made and the appropriate management promptly inst ituted both the mother and her baby may suffer tragic consequences. Mo reover, these conditions are more likely to be misdiagnosed during pre gnancy. This is because the anatomical and physiological changes which occur in pregnancy tend to change and obtund the expected clinical fe atures and laboratory data which are used to diagnose these conditions . Their early diagnosis therefore requires a high index of suspicion t ogether with awareness of the ways in which they may present in pregna ncy.