Tone of the uterus during pregnancy

Contents

What is uterine tone
Symptoms of uterine tone during pregnancy
How to distinguish hypertonicity from training contractions
How to relieve uterine tone during pregnancy
Diagnostics
Medical preparations
Prevention of uterine tone during pregnancy
When to go to the hospital
Popular questions and answers

Increased tone, hypertonicity – often expectant mothers hear these frightening words at the doctor’s office. Together with the gynecologist, we figure out when the tone of the uterus is normal, and when it is worth sounding the alarm

So what is this “increased uterine tone”, why does it occur, does it greatly harm the child, and how can it be prevented? Let’s find out.

What is uterine tone

First, let’s look at the anatomy: the uterus is made of muscle tissue, and any muscle can be in a relaxed and tense state – tone. (1) In a non-pregnant woman, the uterus contracts during menstruation. During childbirth, these contractions help the baby to be born.

– Uterine contractions are usually irregular, relatively painless, and resolve on their own without medical intervention. Sometimes the tone of the uterus rises, this is normal – for example, in the last weeks of the term, when training contractions begin in a pregnant woman, – says obstetrician-gynecologist Leysan Ibatullina.

If the period is still short, and the tone of the uterus persists for a long time, this can cause a threat of termination of pregnancy or premature birth. Uterine hypertonicity can provoke rejection of the fetal egg or deterioration of uteroplacental blood flow, which is fraught with intrauterine hypoxia (lack of oxygen) of the fetus.

Symptoms of uterine tone during pregnancy

– The following symptoms indicate that you have an increased tone: mild pain, tension, feeling of a “stone” in the lower abdomen. To relieve discomfort, it is often enough for a woman to relax, take a comfortable position. In the West, doctors consider hypertonicity to be a physiological condition (unless, of course, there is severe pain and discomfort passes quickly). The uterus contracts when we laugh or sneeze when we are stressed. Even during an examination on a gynecological chair, a woman is a little nervous, and her uterus comes into tone. It is possible to judge an increased tone as a norm or pathology, depending on its duration. If the tension lasts for a long time, the pulling pain in the abdomen and lower back does not go away, the pregnant woman needs urgent medical care, explains obstetrician-gynecologist Leysan Ibatullina.

Early – first trimester

In the early stages, hypertonicity can occur due to a lack of progesterone, a hormone that plays an important role in the conception and development of pregnancy. Progesterone prevents the uterus from actively contracting, because this can cause a miscarriage. Also, increased tone can cause inflammation, fibroids or endometriosis in a pregnant woman.

In the first trimester, an increased tone is signaled by pain or a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen (pain may radiate to the groin, sacrum or lower back). Especially the expectant mother should be alerted by spotting or if the pain and discomfort do not subside.

– In the early stages, the main symptoms of uterine tone are pulling pain and heaviness that occurs in the lower abdomen. In the second, as well as the third trimester, the tone of the uterus can already be observed: the stomach becomes hard and shrinks, while the uterus seems to “harden,” explains doctor Laysan Ibatullina. – In the early stages, hypertonicity can lead to fetal death if you do not seek help from specialists in time. Due to the tense muscles of the uterus, the vessels of the umbilical cord are in a compressed position, oxygen is supplied to the fetus in insufficient quantities, and hypoxia develops. For the same reason, the child does not fully receive the nutrients necessary for its development, which can provoke the appearance of malnutrition. In other words, the child stops growing.

Second trimester

In the second trimester of pregnancy, the child is actively growing and developing, so it can put pressure on the uterus and internal organs, hence the increased tone. Hypertonicity can also be caused by polyhydramnios, and Rhesus conflict, and an irregular shape of the uterus, if the child is too large or the expectant mother is expecting twins.

– A pregnant woman should not perceive the high tone of the uterus as a tragedy. But this is a great reason to be more attentive to your health, reconsider your daily routine, and get more rest, – the specialist is sure.

Third trimester

– In the third trimester of pregnancy, the tone of the uterus can provoke a miscarriage or premature birth. Bleeding may also open, which is very dangerous for both the fetus and the woman herself. In such cases, you should immediately seek medical help, explains obstetrician-gynecologist Leysan Ibatullina.

How to distinguish hypertonicity from training contractions

In late pregnancy, when the body begins to prepare for childbirth, a pregnant woman begins training contractions (Braxton-Hicks contractions) (2). This is a natural physiological state that should not scare the expectant mother, but tell her that the baby is ready to be born soon.

– The state is considered normal when the uterus begins to contract slightly and with a certain frequency. These are training contractions that occur 1-2 weeks before delivery. Their main difference from hypertonicity is that they are painless, short-term and irregular. Training contractions are not considered a pathology and do not require treatment. Their duration can be up to one minute or several seconds, and they can be repeated after 4-5 hours. Rarely, some women experience quite severe pain during such contractions. And most expectant mothers simply do not notice them, – the specialist notes.

How to relieve uterine tone during pregnancy

If the increased tone of the uterus is not caused by serious pathologies and does not threaten the life and health of the unborn baby, it is easy to remove it.

Most often, it is enough to lie down for half an hour, relax and listen to your inner state. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe bed rest or limit physical activity.

Phytotherapy also helps to relieve increased tone (be sure to consult your doctor before use!). Valerian infusion relieves spasms well – 25-30 drops half an hour before meals. Tea with lemon balm or mint helps, you can use a mix of mint with valerian or motherwort. A lamp with aromatic oils, such as vanilla, jasmine, rose or chamomile, helps to relax – the main thing is not to overdo it. In the second and third trimester, special therapeutic exercises can help. But if it is allowed for you, you should ask the doctor.

Diagnostics

Increased uterine tone during pregnancy is usually detected during a routine examination by an obstetrician-gynecologist. First, the doctor palpates the uterus. With increased tone, the doctor feels a seal, and sometimes even petrification. If necessary, the specialist prescribes an ultrasound scan, which will help assess the condition of the cervix – whether there is a premature opening, whether there is a threat of termination of pregnancy. Depending on the situation, the doctor will prescribe rest for the pregnant woman, special drugs, or write out a referral for hospitalization.

Medical preparations

– In order to bring the uterine muscles into a relaxed state, papaverine, no-shpu, is often prescribed. In this condition, the use of Magne-B6 is permissible, – explains the obstetrician Laysan Ibatullina. – In each case, it is important to identify the cause of the increased tone of the uterus. If it is observed due to insufficient production of the “hormone of pregnancy”, the doctor may prescribe the use of drugs such as “Utrozhestan”, “Dufaston”. In the presence of bloody discharge from the genital tract, one cannot do without hemostatic drugs – Dicinon, Tranexam and others.

Prevention of uterine tone during pregnancy

– Prevention of uterine hypertonicity during pregnancy is simple: you need to work less, avoid serious physical exertion, eat right, follow all the recommendations of your doctor. It is important to sleep 8-10 hours a day, because proper rest is very important during pregnancy. Of course, the expectant mother should get rid of bad habits – smoking and drinking alcohol, which negatively affect the health and development of the child, can even provoke the development of pathologies in the fetus or miscarriage. Stay away from sick people, do not forget to undergo ultrasound and other examinations on time, take all the necessary tests. Remember that a pregnant woman should in no case be worried and nervous, explains obstetrician-gynecologist Laysan Ibatullina. – In order for the uterus not to be subjected to heavy stress, it needs support. There is a special bandage for pregnant women, comfortable clothes and underwear. A bandage is an excellent prevention of the appearance of uterine tone.

When to go to the hospital

Most often, the increased tone of the uterus can be removed at home with the help of antispasmodics and bed rest. But if the attending physician suggested hospitalization, the pregnant woman has bloody discharge and severe pain, you need to go to the hospital (3). There, the expectant mother will be under the constant supervision of doctors, they will conduct all the necessary examinations, prescribe injections and droppers that effectively relieve hypertonicity.

– With a pulling pain in the lower abdomen, you should immediately drink a No-shpa tablet and lie down. If during the day the pain does not subside or becomes stronger, be sure to call an ambulance, ”the doctor explains.