Cramping in Early Pregnancy
Many women get concerned by cramping that they experience in early pregnancy. Some might worry that this is a sign that their pregnancy is not viable and that a miscarriage is on its way. Fortunately, more times than not, that isn’t the case.
Cramping in Early Pregnancy is Common. And usually normal.
Implantation Cramping
In the first few weeks of pregnancy, implantation cramping, oftentimes accompanied by implantation bleeding, occurs when the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus. Some women might feel implantation cramping as soon as seven days after they ovulate, while others might not feel cramping at all.
Cramping may continue throughout pregnancy as the uterus prepares to carry a baby for nine months. Your uterus is a big organ and as it grows in early pregnancy cramping is not uncommon. If the cramping is constant or too intense for you to handle however it may not be “normal” and you should call your doctor for reassurance.
Round Ligament Pain
Cramping after the initial stages of pregnancy is called round ligament pain. These cramps may be dull and achy, or a sharp pain that you notice when changing position. This cramping occurs because the muscles under your uterus expand and grow in order to support the weight of your uterus and baby as it grows. This is probably the most complained about cramping in pregnancy, and one most pregnant women will experience.
Should I Be Worried?
Cramping in early pregnancy is usually nothing for a woman to get worried about. Actually you may be comforted by knowing that if minor pregnancy cramping does occur, then your body is probably preparing as it should to sustain the pregnancy. But as always, if you are concerned or ever feel that the cramping is not normal, be sure to call your doctor for advice.
Could I Be Pregnant?
If you are Trying To Conceive, this could be good news! Compare your symptoms to other Early Signs of Pregnancy. If you think you may be pregnant, today’s Home Pregnancy Tests can show positive results as early as a week before your period is due. If you’re not ready to buy a pregnancy test just yet, enter your last menstrual cycle date into our Due Date Calculator to determine when you ovulated last. That will give you a little insight too!
Did you experience pregnancy cramping? Please share your story with us.
End of Year Special!
Celebrate your journey as a mom. You'll get personalized content about you and your baby, expert feeding and nutrition advice, and up to $329 in offers.
February 2nd, 2012 at 6:12 am
hi…i just found on on tues am preg am roughly 4 5 weeks…but yesterday i had cramps and 2day frum i have woke i have cramps reali feels like my period is coming…altho this will be my second baby i stil cnt help bt worry..in my 1st pregnancy i also experienced serious cramps and had to be sent for 2 early scans as the doc thought i was miscarraigin but thank god i didnt but rite now im hopin its just the same as the last time but i dnt no wether to ring the doc or not.
February 1st, 2012 at 5:03 pm
me too i am 7 weeks and been aving mild on and off cramps and constant headaches
January 31st, 2012 at 9:46 am
I may be anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, found out last thursday. I usually cramp about 3 days before my period. I have been cramping for about 2 or 3 weeks now. Just last night it felt as if my period would come on. So scared and my first appointment isnt until feb 14.i love this baby so much I couldnt bear to lose it. :-[ the cramping lasted for about 5 minutes and happened twice in a two hour window. I was sure I was going to see blood. A warm bath knocks it out everytime and I dont cramp during the day very often and if I do its very mild. For some reason it happenes at night. And my boyfriend did not not help he walked in on me and said “u must be having a miscarraige” he doesnt mean harm he just horrible with keeping negative thoughts to himself. I wish he did cuz from then on ive been terrified! Keep all posted as well!
January 30th, 2012 at 12:34 am
I will be 7 weeks pregnant on tuesday & I conceived on Christmas day
& have been experiencing cramping alot this week as well as the nausea! However for me it’s not just morning sickness it’s all day! I haven’t let myself throw up but between the period like cramps (which my cramps have always been severe) & the nausea I think this will be my one & only child. This is my first pregnancy so I don’t have anything to base these feelings on! I’m so worried because I have BV right now & can’t take medicine to treat for it until the second trimester & also had a LEAP on my cervix when I was 18! Ive already had my first visit & ultrasound. The baby was still in the sac however I could see the heartbeat & the technician said re baby’s heartbeat was at a normal rate of 130bpm. But regardless of everything I’m still stressed. My next appointment isn’t until feb 13th & that feels like forever away! I will keep y’all updated!
January 18th, 2012 at 11:43 pm
i am 5 weeks and had a miscarraige 5 years ago i have small lil discomfort around my lower utereus but no bleeding and definately not bad but the concern and worry of having another one is there and i cannot get over it any one with sound advice????? i could use it
January 8th, 2012 at 6:16 pm
I am 7 weeks pregnant and I have been experiencing constant cramping, aching, and even a pain in my butt for 2 weeks. Ive had no bleeding but I’m worried bc its painful. Everything I’ve read said it can be normal but I never experienced this with my first child.
January 7th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Hi Shannon, it sounds like we’re going through the same thing, only I ovulated on Christmas day, rather than eve! I’ve been on a 23 day cycle for the past 2 periods, and I’m currently 2 days late. From the day I ovulated, I had this funny feeling this was The month (we’ve been trying 11 months now), however I don’t want to get my hopes up yet. I was positive last night that my period was coming, because I had bad leg cramps which seemed to radiate down fr my lower back. No period though, and still the same discomfort in my legs. I also feel like my nipples are full of broken glass, whereas normally my bb’s get sore around ovulation and stay that way until 24 hr before period, then the pain suddenly disappears. So far, I’ve also experienced a pronounced feeling of heaviness in my uterus that feels like it’s pushing on my bladder. There is also some swelling above my pubic bone, neither of which I’ve ever experienced except when I was preg with my first. I also experienced cm at 8dpo that was a faint brown. Tonight when I took off my bra, the feeling in my nipples made me feel a bit queasy. I’m still skeptical; maybe this is all just in my head and I’m over analyzing. I had surgery for endo last sec, and although my prognosis for being able to conceive again was good, and all my recent tests have come back with normal results, I still can’t let myself believe it.
January 1st, 2012 at 5:02 am
Hello to everyone & Happy New Year!
I am posting for the first time on this as I am unsure of if I am imagining things or am I really having early signs of pregnancy. My boyfriend and I had intercourse on x-mas eve. Now I was feeling fine till Wednesday of last week when I started to feel mild cramping. Thursday it was more consistent and stronger while I was at work. Friday comes and I get out of work and my boobs are KILLING ME! Yesterday (saturday) I had mild cramping on and off and my boobs were sore again and I had lower back pain which I never get. Now it’s sunday and I’m up at 4;30AM as I’m not able to sleep well. I tried sleeping in my favorite position (on my tummy) and it was uncomfortable.
And again my boobs are still sore.
I am due for my period Jan 10th and I really don’t want to go out and take a First Response home test 6 days before your period is due cause I’m so afraid it’s gonna come out negative. I have done alot research online and I hear the hospital can run a blood test on me for my HCG count and tell me if I’m pregnant or not.
Question is…when should I go get checked out? I don’t know how early the hospital can pick up HCG Hormone levels in your blood. Any feed back is greatly appreciated
December 7th, 2011 at 7:04 pm
I went all of last year and had six miscarriages. Each time at the implantation stage around week five-six. Always accompanied by bleeding. So if you make it past week 7 your odds increase, and go to nearly 90% if you see/hear heart beat
December 6th, 2011 at 6:14 am
Hi everyone, please i need a quick answer. I missed my period n did a home test which turn out negative, i went to c my doc, who did my ultrasound n found out that i am preganant. But the next day i to bleed n hav cramps, i went to c another doc, that my doc sent me to c. He examined me n prescribed some drugs like: salbutamol, vit-B-complex, FeFa, n calcium. Please i am scare, i’m I loosing my baby or what?