Patient's question:
I got married last year. Recently, I've been experiencing lower abdominal pain, especially during my period. I'm very worried it might affect fertility, and I'm also extremely sensitive to cold and coldness. Could you please tell me what the pre-labor signs are?Doctor's answer:
In the last three months of pregnancy, the uterus experiences intermittent contractions, which are medically referred to as Braxton Hicks contractions. Sometimes these contractions become stronger, so you might mistakenly think you are in labor. However, true labor contractions occur very regularly and gradually intensify and become more frequent, so you should be able to distinguish them. Typically, Braxton Hicks contractions are irregular and less intense than true labor contractions. The way to differentiate is to check the vagina to observe changes in the cervix. Additionally, you can time the contractions by calculating the time interval between two consecutive contractions and recording them for an hour.