Cramping and Early Pregnancy

Is cramping an early sign of pregnancy?


In order to really understand if cramping is an early sign of pregnancy, you would first need to understand why a person actually experiences this unpleasant and sometimes painful sensation. Cramps are a common sensation of pain or numbness that can affect anyone. They are generally caused due to muscle contractions or an over shortening of muscles. You could also experience a bout of cramps due to severe cold, low calcium levels in your body, or simply due to overexertion that results in dehydration. Certain illnesses or food poisoning can also cause a person to experience cramps in the stomach. This is often a symptom of colic, provided it fulfils certain criteria’s for the same.

In the case of girls especially those in their teenage years, cramping is a common condition. This is because they require calcium for both blood as well as bone maturity. When the body does not get the required amount of calcium the muscles tend to contract, resulting in cramping sensations. Women often experience cramping in their lower abdomen just before their monthly cycle. This condition is often referred to medically as dysmenorrheal. It generally occurs because the hormone like substances called prostaglandins causes the uterine muscle to contract in order to push out the uterus lining.    
Higher levels of this hormone like substance in your body, cause an increased intensity of pain and cramping sensation.

Cramping can also be an early sign of pregnancy. Cramping during conception occurs because the embryo needs space to develop. The uterus expands in order to accommodate the embryo that grows into a fetus. The action caused by this uterus expansion causes cramping. However, cramping alone cannot be considered as a sign of pregnancy. As already explained above, there are various reasons as to why a person may experience cramps. Therefore, cramps cannot be taken as the only symptom for determining whether you are pregnant or not. Cramping accompanied with any of the following symptoms however, increases the possibility of you confirming a pregnancy.
  • If you notice that your breast or nipples are swollen, tender or sore along with the cramping sensation in your lower abdomen, the chances of you being pregnant are quite high.
  • If you have missed you period and feel unusually tired or fatigued, along with the corresponding pain from cramps.
  • Morning sickness and frequent urination can also be symptoms of pregnancy.
In order to confirm your doubts it is best that you conduct a pregnancy test at home. Pregnancy kits can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies or drug stores. The pregnancy kits available are quite reliable and come with a set of user friendly instructions, which make the test accurate. However, it is highly recommended that you visit your family doctor for the best possible diagnoses for your condition.

answered by c


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