How does uterine tone manifest during pregnancy: signs and symptoms

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Signs of uterine tone scare many women in an interesting position. However, the symptoms characteristic of this condition are not always a pathology. The uterus and the fetus in it periodically show sensitivity to physical influences, as well as the psycho-emotional mood of the expectant mother. Therefore, temporary tone to some extent can be considered a variant of the norm, which reflects the well-being of a woman.

Medical certificate

The uterus is a muscular organ. It can shrink, expand and expand. The basis of the uterus is the myometrium. At rest, it is in a relaxed state, and at the time of childbirth it contracts, thereby helping the fetus to pass through the birth canal.

Sometimes the gynecologist reveals the tone of the uterus during pregnancy. At the same time, the muscles of the organ remain in an excited state for a long period, often contracting. You can't ignore himbecause the consequences can be dire. In the first and second trimesters, the tone is dangerous for spontaneous miscarriage, premature birth. In addition, tense muscles compress the vessels of the umbilical cord, limiting the supply of oxygen to the fetus. A similar phenomenon leads to hypoxia and malnutrition (growth arrest) in a child.

Norm and pathology

In order for the baby inside the womb to fully develop, the uterus must remain relaxed. A short tone in the early stages is considered to be a variant of the norm. In this case, muscle contraction:

• occurs up to 6 times a day;
• activates blood circulation;
• is the result of intense physical activity.

If the signs of uterine tone are not accompanied by other unpleasant manifestations, while the woman feels good, there is no reason to worry. Short-term muscle contraction can be observed even at the moment of sneezing or laughing. Affects the state of the uterus and the psychological mood of the pregnant woman. For example, an ordinary examination on a gynecological chair sometimes provokes muscle tension.

Another thing is if the tone persists for a long time and is accompanied by pain. At the same time, the woman experiences sensations similar to those on critical days. It is important to understand that this condition carries more danger for the fetus than for the expectant mother. When the muscles of the uterus tighten, the pressure in its cavity increases. This is already a pathology that requires immediate access to a specialist and appropriate treatment.

Causes of tone

How does uterine tone manifest itself? First of all, this condition is associated with discomfort in the abdomen. It can be due to both feelings and stress, and more significant reasons. Among them, the most common are the following:

• progesterone deficiency;
• excess male hormones and prolactin;
• severe toxicosis;
• thyroid disorder;
• pathology of the placenta;
• Rhesus conflict;
• infectious and inflammatory processes in the body;
• excessive distension of the uterus due to multiple or polyhydramnios.

Separately, the so-called risk factors should be noted. For example, malnutrition or lack of rest can become a kind of trigger for increased contraction of the uterine muscles. Other risk factors include age over 35, increased physical activity, and intimacy before the 12th week of pregnancy.

How to determine the tone of the uterus during pregnancy?

The initial signs of pathological tone are not always noticeable. It all depends on the stage of pregnancy and the severity of the tension of the uterine muscles. How to determine the tone of the uterus during pregnancy on your own? To do this is quite simple, listening to your own body.

Signs of uterine tone in the first trimester

Immediately after the moment of conception and throughout the first trimester, a woman can guess the tone only by subjective sensations. During this period, the body of the reproductive organ is located deep in the cavity of the small pelvis. Therefore, it is not possible to feel it through the stomach on your own. To understand how the tone of the uterus manifests itself in the early stages, you need to pay attention to the following symptoms:

1. Painful sensations. As a rule, they resemble pain during menstruation. Women describe them as pulling, permanent or intermittent.
2. Frequent urge to urinate. The uterus is located very close to the bladder. Therefore, against the background of contractions, she begins to put pressure on the bubble, provoking false urges to go to the toilet.
3. Pressure on the rectum. If the body of the uterus is slightly tilted back, it does not affect the bladder, but the rectum. In this case, there is a feeling of incomplete emptying of the intestine. There may be soreness in the perineum, felt in a sitting position.
4. Special experience. Some pregnant women, especially expecting a baby for the first time, find it difficult to talk about their feelings. For example, some describe the tone as "stone" of the uterus, while others - as a cold in the stomach.

For a gynecologist, the listed complaints are a good reason for an extraordinary examination. A two-handed examination is usually performed, the results of which can be used to judge the presence or absence of tone.

Manifestations in the second trimester

In the second trimester, the reproductive organ is already well palpable above the bosom. Therefore, a woman can not only subjectively, but also objectively monitor her condition. How the tone of the uterus manifests itself in the secondtrimester, practically does not differ from the symptoms of pathology in the early stages. The expectant mother is also worried about frequent urge to go to the toilet, pain in the lower abdomen, pressure on the rectum. However, discomfort sometimes manifests itself in the back area and resembles renal colic.

In addition to this, you can try to feel the uterus through the stomach. Normally, it should be soft and not differ from the surrounding tissues. If the genital organ is palpable as a hard ball, most likely there is a tone.

Uterine tone and training contractions in the third trimester

The third trimester is the time to prepare the body for the upcoming birth. During this period, short contractions of the uterus are a variant of the norm. Training contractions, as a rule, occur at 7-8 months. How the tone of the uterus manifests itself in the third trimester is quite difficult to determine. On the other hand, it poses a great danger, since it can cause premature birth. Therefore, a woman needs to listen to her own feelings and body.

You can distinguish training contractions from tone by the following features:

1. They do not differ in duration and regularity.
2. Pain while preparing the body for childbirth is excluded.
3. Bleeding is always absent.

In the third and even second trimester, in case of tone, every movement of the child inside the womb is accompanied by soreness, and its activity usually decreases. The opposite development of events is also possible, when the baby beginsact overly arrogant. If this behavior has not been observed before, the gynecologist should be informed about this. When discomfort persists for a long time, it is better to call a medical team.

Status Diagnosis

Many expectant mothers exaggerate their feelings, worrying about the condition of the child. Primiparous women often do not know at all how the tone of the uterus manifests itself. Therefore, to confirm this pathology, you need to contact a gynecologist and undergo a series of examinations.

Standard diagnostics include:

1. Examination on the gynecological chair. Already in the early stages, a specialist can detect an increased tone. Normally, on palpation, the uterus is soft and supple. In the case of pathology, it thickens, and the examination itself is accompanied by painful discomfort.
2. Ultrasound. By means of ultrasound, local tone can be determined. It is especially informative at the beginning of pregnancy.
3. Fetal CTG. This procedure allows not only to assess the fetal heartbeat, but also the presence of contractions of the uterine muscles. In the course of its implementation, a special sensor is installed on the area of the bottom of the uterus, information from which is transmitted to the device. Rhythmic muscle contractions are recognized on the graph as waves of different amplitudes. With a constant tone, horizontal lines of a certain height are noted. This research method is especially informative in the third trimester.

Determining the tone of the uterus during pregnancy, as a rule, is much easier than its root cause. However, the identification of a factor that contributed tothe development of pathology is necessary, since its exclusion is the key to the normalization of the woman's condition.

First steps to eliminate tone

With the appearance of pain in the abdomen, first of all, a woman should take the most comfortable position for her, try to relax. If this condition occurs regularly, the pregnant woman knows exactly how the tone of the uterus manifests itself, it is better to give up hard physical work. Hiking and fresh air will be useful.

When it is not possible to immediately consult a doctor with a tone, you can use the following tips:

1. Take a No-shpy pill or put a Papaverine candle.
2. Take a warm bath. This procedure is valid only in the first and second trimesters, as well as in the absence of spotting.
3. Try to relax with the help of breathing exercises.

In the absence of severe pain, you can try to perform light exercises to relieve tone. To do this, you need to kneel down and rest your palms on the floor. Then, on a deep breath, raise your head and bend the lumbar region as you exhale. In this position, you need to linger for 5 seconds. After that, you should lower your head, arching your spine. All movements should be smooth and not accompanied by discomfort.

These are universal recommendations. Some doctors allow the use of sedatives based on motherwort or valerian. However, it is better to ask your gynecologist if these remedies are possible with the tone of the uterus.

After the relief of symptoms, it is necessary to call a team of medical workers. It is impossible to delay in this matter, since the tone can threaten the life of the fetus.

Features of therapy

Depending on how the tone of the uterus manifests itself during pregnancy and for how long, appropriate treatment is prescribed. It can take place both at home and in the hospital. Medicines are prescribed in the form of vaginal or rectal suppositories, tablets, droppers and intramuscular injections. It all depends on the severity of the symptoms.

In the early stages of a pregnant woman, bed rest is primarily recommended. With an unstable psycho-emotional background, sedative herbs are prescribed. The main course of therapy includes taking drugs from the following groups:

1. Anspasmodics ("No-shpa", "Papaverine"). Help relieve tension in the smooth muscle fibers of the uterus.
2. Hormonal drugs ("Dufaston", "Utrozhestan"). Their use is especially effective for low levels of progesterone in the blood. Dosage and regimen are determined individually.
3. Vitamin complexes and microelements ("Magvit", "Magnefar"). They are prescribed for both preventive and therapeutic purposes.

When uterine tone appears as a result of placental abruption or inflammatory disorders, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and hemostatic drugs are additionally prescribed.

After 20-22 weeks, the range of medicines expands. Usually pregnant women are prescribed "Ginipral" and "Magnesia". Therapycomplemented by physiotherapy. If the pathology is accompanied by changes in the condition of the fetus, it is recommended to take vasodilators and drugs to improve metabolic processes.

What is the danger of uterine tone?

Not in every case, the tone of the uterus is a combination of unpleasant symptoms. More often than not, it hides more serious problems. We are talking about neoplasms in the uterine cavity (polyps, fibroids), disruption of the endocrine system, chronic pathologies, hormone deficiency.

Expectant mothers are mostly afraid of abortion, ending in miscarriage or premature birth. Even the fading of the fetus most often occurs due to tone. The woman ignores its initial manifestations, so she does not rush to see a doctor for help.

On the other hand, tension in the muscles of the uterus can negatively affect the development of the child. The tone provokes prolonged oxygen starvation, as a result - a lag in the development of the fetal organs, the appearance of pathologies.

Prevention Methods

Prevention of tone is a very simple matter. It comes down to eliminating stress and excessive physical exertion. It is useful to eat right and observe the regime of work / rest. During pregnancy, any woman needs a good he althy sleep.

Separately, mention should be made of the dangers of addictions. Alcohol and smoking not only increase the risk of tone, but also increase the likelihood of other, more dangerous pathologies. Therefore, from bad habitsit is recommended to opt out at the planning stage.

Great importance in the prevention of tone belongs to regular consultations with a gynecologist. Timely examination with the delivery of related tests is equally important. It would not be superfluous to ask the doctor how the tone of the uterus manifests itself during pregnancy, what to do in this case. This is especially true for women at risk.