Left lower quadrant pain in pregnancy

What are the most common causes of left lower quadrant pain in pregnancy?

Constipation

• Constipation is very common in pregnancy.

• It gives you crampy lower tummy (lower abdominal) pains, often in the left lower quadrant (LLQ).

• You will open your bowels less often than you usually do and typically you pass hard, pellet-like stools (faeces).

Pelvic ligament pain

• Typically it starts around 14 weeks and goes on into late pregnancy.

• It is due to the growing womb (uterus) pulling on the structures (round ligaments and broad ligament) which hold it in place.

• Usually causes a stabbing pain down one or both sides of the tummy (abdomen) and sometimes down into the hips and genital area.

• Pain can be quite marked.

You can read more about this in the separate leaflet called Common Problems in Pregnancy.

Urine infection

• Urine infection is more common in pregnancy.

• Usual symptoms are of pain when you pass urine and passing urine more often.

• You may also get tummy pain and a high temperature (fever) and notice blood in your pee.

• If you do get pain, it's usually across the lower tummy but can be on one side if you are developing a kidney infection (pyelonephritis).

See the separate leaflet called Urine Infection in Pregnancy for more information.

Ectopic pregnancy

• An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that is not in the normal place.

• Pain is often sudden and can be severe, but it can come on over a few days.

• You may have missed your period but you can still have an ectopic pregnancy even if you think you have had a period.

• Vaginal bleeding often happens but not always.

• Occasionally you can get pain over the tip of your shoulder.

See the separate leaflet called Ectopic Pregnancy for more information.

Left lower quadrant pain in later pregnancy (after 24 weeks or so)

Pelvic girdle pain affects the joint connecting the two bones at the front of your pelvis, called the symphysis pubis. This joint becomes loosened during pregnancy, often as early as 14 weeks into pregnancy. The pain can be severe and is usually felt over the symphysis pubis, but can spread to the right lower quadrant.

Find out more from the separate leaflet called Common Problems in Pregnancy.

In later pregnancy, LLQ pain can be caused by a placental abruption or by going into labour. Placental abruption happens when there is bleeding between the afterbirth (placenta) and the lining of the womb. Labour is too soon (premature labour) if it happens before 37 weeks.

See the separate leaflets called Premature Labour and Pelvic Pain in Women for more information.