Patient's question:
I am 4 months pregnant. Recently, I have often felt my abdomen getting hard, especially more severe when walking for a long time. Resting for a while makes it better. I don't have any other symptoms. When I went to the hospital for a check-up, the doctor said it's a normal phenomenon during pregnancy and that I just need to pay attention to rest, as there's no major problem.What kind of help do I need: What does it mean when a pregnant woman's abdomen feels hard?
Doctor's answer:
Hello, after 12~14 weeks of pregnancy, the uterus may experience irregular, painless contractions, with the abdomen feeling hard, which can be felt from the outside and also by the pregnant woman herself. However, these contractions are infrequent, irregular, and painless, and this is a normal phenomenon. If there is no worsening, no significant abdominal pain, and no vaginal bleeding, no treatment is needed. If the pain worsens and vaginal bleeding or leakage occurs, it may indicate a miscarriage and requires medical attention. Normal fetal movement is approximately 20 times every 12 hours. A number of movements greater than or less than this may indicate that the fetus may be experiencing intrauterine hypoxia. It is recommended that you monitor the fetal movement yourself and seek medical attention promptly if there are any abnormalities.