Pain under Bra Line During Pregnancy is one of the common experiences during pregnancy, many describe children as the “miracle of life. ” However, receiving this miracle is not always the easiest journey, especially for mothers.
Pregnancy comes with various uncomfortable symptoms, one of which is pain under the woman’s bra line. So, what causes this pain, and how can it be managed?
The pain under bra line, pregnant women experience is a common symptom. Rib pain during pregnancy has several causes and can occur at any trimester. Usually, these causes are harmless, but they could be medical complications in some cases.
This article will cover the causes of rib pain in pregnancy, the symptoms associated with the pain, how to manage the pain, and when a doctor is needed.
Causes of Rib Pain Under Bra Line During Pregnancy
Which each trimester during pregnancy comes its own difficulties. Rib pain being one of them is has a variation of causes. And they are as follows:
- Pressure as a result of the growing weight and positioning of the fetus.
- Towards the end of the second trimester and third trimester, in order to accommodate the growing fetus, the uterus expands upwards.
With a continuous increase in size, the fetus may start to apply pressure to the ribs. Bearing this adding weight of the fetus can also add more tension to the muscles surrounding the abdomen, which could result in added pressure to the muscles of the rib, in turn causing myalgia. Depending on the severity of the pain, a trip to the doctor’s may or may not be necessary.
Also, during the said period, the position of the fetus changes. Meaning, the head faces downwards while the feet face upwards to the ribs. This position could result in tension to the ribs. The woman’s body is not unaffected by this gradual change.
Movement of the baby, particularly kicks, could result in aches and pains in the ribs and other places in the body. Generally, women in this position experience this rib pain of this kind precisely beneath the breast where the baby is located.
Round ligament pain: The round ligaments are fibrous tissue cords or bands rope-like in nature, that exist in pairs and serve as a connection between the front of the uterus and the groin.
Growth of the uterus during pregnancy may result in added tension to the round ligaments, which may in turn result in sudden and acute discomfort or pain when the woman moves. This acute discomfort or pain may occur around the pelvis, rib and back areas.
Gallstones: As a result of the constant rising if the levels of estrogen and the tasking nature of freeing the gallbladder, pregnant women are known to have broader chances of forming gallstones. A particular study has shown that an estimated percentage of 12 of pregnant women will grow gallstones.
Gallstones could happen at anytime in the course of pregnancy. Post-pregnancy, the need to surgically get rid of gallstones may arise for some women.
Urinary tract infection: Particularly in the course of the third trimester of pregnancy, women have higher chances of developing urinary tract infection.
Along with the various changes that occur in the body of a pregnant woman, pregnancy could lead to the change in the urinary tract of the woman and she may find it difficult to empty the bladder if the fetus adds tension to it.
The said factors broaden the chances of the development to UTI. In the absence of treatment, a urinary tract infection could result in kidney pain, masked as rib pain.
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Symptoms Associated with Rib Pain Under Bra Line During Pregnancy.
- Pain The following are symptoms associated with rib pain experienced by pregnant women.
- Pain just beneath the breasts where the baby is positioned.
- Shortness of breath resulting from the expansion of the uterus.
- Aches and pain in the shoulder region resulting from the tension experienced by the diaphragm.
Indigestion resulting from congestion
Diagnosing Rib Pain Under Bra Line During Pregnancy
This section will go into how pregnant women can get effective diagnosis of rib pain. It is common knowledge that pregnant women are advised to go in for regular check-ups to ensure not only a smooth pregnancy but as well as smooth and safe delivery of the baby.
A pregnant woman experiencing rib pain is no exception. When a pregnant woman that has shown signs or symptoms of rib pain as the ones aforementioned and she goes in to see a doctor, the doctor will most times perform a physical examination to aid in pin-pointing the actual reason behind the rib pain.
Questions relating to the symptoms.
The woman has been exhibiting, the things she worries about in relation to the pregnancy, the date the delivery is due, and a number of other things are amongst the questions she will be asked. Monitoring the heart rate of the baby is dependent on the stage of the pregnancy and the doctor’s intuition.
Upon suspicion of a UTI or an infection of some sort, a sample of urine may be requested for testing. If the doctor is still not certain of the cause of the pain, a blood test may be requested.
How to Manage Rib Pain Under Bra Line During Pregnancy
The following are ways through which pregnant women can manage rib pain:
- Wearing of loose fitting clothes in order to achieve the most attainable comfort possible.
- Using cushions as supports when lying down.
- Avoiding bad posturing by sitting up straight and not hunching over as this may lead to discomfort.
- Avoiding sitting down for too long, taking regular stretch breaks, short walks or exercises prescribed for pregnant women and approved by their doctors.
- Making use of heat packs or cold packs.
- Doing yoga will also help in relieving pain.
The treatment for rib pain may vary as a result of the cause of the pain and so in cases where the pain is caused by UTI, the best way to manage that situation is by taking prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection.