Constant tone of the uterus. Increased uterine tone: pathology or special condition of pregnancy

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The concept of increased uterine tone is familiar to almost all women. Someone experienced it on themselves during pregnancy, someone learned from a friend in a position. The uterus is in good shape, increased tone, local hypertonicity of the uterus - these are all names for the pathology of the female appendages, which manifest themselves in the early stages of bearing a child, sometimes in normal periods of life, for example, before menstruation, and have certain symptoms. Can this condition be considered normal? How dangerous is it? Let's figure it out.

What is uterine hypertonicity

The uterus is a female organ, which is called the reproductive organ, in which the growth and development of the fetus takes place. Inside the uterus is hollow, the organ itself consists of three layers: a film, myometrium (muscular layer) and endometrium (mucous layer). The smooth muscles of the uterus have the ability to contract or, conversely, relax, like any muscle in the body. When the uterus is tense, obstetrician-gynecologists talk about increased tone, which is not very good during pregnancy, because in rare cases it can cause a miscarriage.

Signs of uterine tone during pregnancy

This condition can lead to miscarriage in the early stages of childbearing or to premature birth in the later stages, so the expectant mother needs to know how to recognize uterine contraction, which manifests itself by the following signs:

unpleasant pulling pains in the lower abdomen, as for menstruation;
pain in the lumbar region, sacrum;
a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen;
false contractions;
feeling of stonyness of the uterus.

Symptoms

A woman in a normal period of life sometimes encounters such a thing as increased uterine tone. Symptoms during this period are similar to those during pregnancy. Very often, muscle tension occurs before menstruation and this is considered the norm. However, if the feeling does not go away on other days, then you should see a gynecologist and undergo the necessary examination.

Causes

Various reasons can affect the tension of the uterus. Gynecologists identify such grounds for the development of this problem:

inflammatory processes;
hormonal disorders;
endometriosis, uterine fibroids and other diseases;
hard physical work that requires a lot of work;
stress, nervousness;
fatigue, lack of sleep.

Women at risk are:

having abortions;
with poor development of female organs;
with weak immunity;
repeatedly ill with inflammatory diseases of varying degrees;
having bad habits;
with problems in your personal life or at work, leading to frequent stress;
young age up to 18 years and over 35 years.

In the early stages

The first weeks of bearing a baby are the most responsible. The tone of the uterus in early pregnancy is created by the following factors:

growth and shape of the uterus;
a surge in the hormone progesterone or its deficiency;
inflammation during attachment of the fetal egg, often causing hypertonicity of the posterior wall of the uterus;
nervous state of a woman in connection with a new position for her.

What is dangerous uterine hypertonicity during pregnancy

Tension of the uterus at different times can have its consequences. In the first trimester, this can lead to the death of the fetal egg, termination of pregnancy and miscarriage. In the second trimester, hypertonicity can provoke a spontaneous miscarriage or abortion, which also ends in abortion. At a period later than 28 weeks, premature birth occurs, which is also not very good, especially for the baby. Local tone of the myometrium often leads to placental abruption.

Forecasts are not the most optimistic, however, you should not worry ahead of time. The nervous state only increases the tension. Do not forget that for the fetus, hypertonicity during pregnancy is a dangerous condition, it makes it difficult to supply blood to the placenta, and along with this, oxygen starvation (hypoxia) and a deficiency of nutrients necessary for proper development and growth occur. If you feel that the uterus is in good shape, you need to contact an obstetrician-gynecologist. Simple treatment, peace and rest will relieve stress.

How to identify uterine hypertonicity

You can identify the problem in several ways:

By symptoms. If a pregnant woman feels heaviness in the lower abdomen, nagging pain in the lower back, "stoneness" of the abdomen, then she needs to inform the doctor about this condition. If spotting has begun, it is not necessary to wait for an appointment, it is urgent to call an ambulance for hospitalization.
Doctor's examination. Hypertonicity is easily determined by a gynecologist by palpation. This method is used in the later stages of pregnancy, when the uterus is outside the small pelvis.
Ultrasonography. Ultrasound is done at a certain time of bearing a child. Sometimes the doctor prescribes an additional examination if a pathology is suspected. With the help of ultrasound, it is possible to determine not only the general, but also the local tone of the uterus, which cannot be detected by palpation or probing of the anterior wall.
Tonusometry. For examination, a special apparatus is used, the sensor of which is applied to the stomach and read information about the condition.

How to relieve uterine hypertonicity during pregnancy

If a pregnant woman feels the symptoms of hypertonicity, then the first thing she needs to do is lie down and calm down. This is enough for the uterus to relax and return to normal. You need to tell your gynecologist about your condition, even if the symptoms were minor. If the tone does not go away, the doctor may hospitalize the woman in a gynecology or maternity hospital, depending on the period. For the treatment of the expectant mother will appoint:

peace, sleep, rest;
a ban on physical activity;
taking medications that relieve spasms and pain, sedatives.
complex of vitamins and minerals.

Medical treatment

Pregnancy is a special period in a woman's life that requires her to take minimal medication. Doctors take this into account, so they prescribe safe remedies to the expectant mother, mainly on a natural basis. For treatment, the gynecologist will prescribe the following groups of drugs to the pregnant woman:

Antispasmodic drugs. It can be No-shpa, Papaverine in injections or tablets. These remedies relieve muscle spasms well and remove tone.
Sedatives. On a plant basis - tincture of motherwort or valerian, on a synthetic basis - Nozepam, Sibazol, Trioxazin.
Hormonal preparations. In the early stages, progesterone preparations are prescribed - Utrozhestan or Duphaston. From 16-18 weeks, Ginipral, Brikanil, Partusisten are prescribed.
Vitamins and minerals. A pregnant woman, regardless of the condition and period, needs to take vitamins and trace elements, special attention should be paid to magnesium preparations.

Prevention

In order to avoid uterine hypertonicity in the future, obstetricians recommend that pregnant women follow simple rules:

Don't worry about trifles. If you can’t calm the anxiety, then you need to see a doctor who will prescribe a sedative.
Walk more. Fresh air and walking will help to calm down and enrich the body with oxygen, which the fetus lacks with tone.
Do exercises for pregnant women. Remember that such complexes cannot be done without the permission of a gynecologist in the presence of pregnancy pathology.
Avoid physical activities that are dangerous for bearing a child.
Eat right. Try to avoid harmful and allergenic foods.
No alcohol, coffee or strong tea. These drinks provoke the activity of the uterus.

Video

The tone of the uterus during pregnancy is still perceived by many women as a serious pathology that must be treated. It is rare when a pregnant woman does not begin to worry and wind herself up after hearing such a diagnosis in her address. Is everything okay with the baby? Is this condition really dangerous? Indeed, in the antenatal clinic, the woman must have been frightened by spontaneous miscarriage or premature birth, which can be the result of tone. Meanwhile, in almost 80% of cases, the notorious hypertonicity of the uterus does not pose any danger to either the mother or the child.

What is uterine tone?

There is no such diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases.

Increased uterine tone during pregnancy is diagnosed only in the post-Soviet space.

But the uterus is a muscular organ, and muscles tend to contract. The uterus can respond to external and internal stimuli. This happens even before pregnancy, it’s just easier to feel the tone during the bearing of the baby. The uterus can contract when sneezing or coughing, walking, or having sexual intercourse. Even the sensor of an ultrasound machine can provoke a tone, and the mother will immediately be told that something is wrong with her.

How do doctors manage to determine the tone of the uterus during pregnancy? In addition to the most common method of palpation, they resort to ultrasound diagnostics and cardiotocography (CTG).

What does the uterus in good shape during pregnancy mean?

This is a state when the muscle fibers of the main female organ are in tension. A woman is worried about a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, pulsation and spasms, many complain that the stomach becomes stone for a while. There may be pulling or aching pain. But physiological uterine contractions should not cause concern. They are often associated with physical activity, occur irregularly, and resolve with rest. With the increase in the duration of pregnancy, the frequency of contractions also increases. More about tone in each trimester:

Important! If the pains in the lower abdomen become intense, regular, at a certain interval, radiate to the lower back or spotting appears, this is a reason to urgently seek medical help.

Causes of uterine tone

Symptoms of uterine tone during pregnancy can cause discomfort to a woman, and a gynecologist's consultation is necessary in this case. But it is better to identify the causes of uterine tone during pregnancy, because hypertonicity is a consequence, but it develops, for example, against the background of some diseases in the body of the expectant mother. The most common reasons are:

chronic foci of inflammation in the pelvic organs;
abortions;
anomalies and malformations of the uterus;
multiple pregnancy, large fetus or polyhydramnios, which provoke overstretching of the muscles of the uterus;
bad habits and lack of proper sleep;
diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver and other organs;
endocrine diseases;
hormonal disorders;
depression, anxiety in a woman, both before pregnancy and during gestation.

Important! The tone of the uterus during the second pregnancy, which occurred after 30 years, occurs several times more often. As women age, as a rule, the number of gynecological and concomitant diseases, abortions increases, which increases the risk of hypertension.

It is especially important, starting from the 30th week of pregnancy, to prepare for childbirth. Physical and emotional. A step-by-step preparation plan awaits you in the online course Five Steps to a Successful Childbirth >>>

How to help yourself at home

Along with the question “how to independently determine the tone of the uterus during pregnancy,” expectant mothers are often interested in how to help themselves alleviate the condition? As soon as you feel signs of tension, do the following:

Forget about haste and urgent matters. Stop or sit down, depending on the situation. Rest will help to get rid of unpleasant sensations.
Try to relax, take a deep breath, listening to yourself and inner feelings. Try to imagine the pain leaving your body as you exhale.
Remove emotional stress by relaxing the muscles of the face and neck. Try to relax your mouth and throat (it is believed that they are energetically connected with the uterus). In this case, you should breathe through your mouth.
If you do not know how to remove the tone of the uterus during pregnancy, use aromatherapy. Essential oils of bergamot, sage, vanilla and lavender will help you relax. Choose the scent that suits you. May it always be at your fingertips. A mixture of oils can be worn around the neck in an aroma medallion (more about aromatherapy during pregnancy >>>).
If possible, take a warm bath, prepare yourself herbal tea from lemon balm and motherwort with honey. Treatments like these are great for relaxation.
You can stroke your belly and still communicate with your baby. He feels your stress, soothe him!
If the uterus is in good shape during pregnancy, and you don’t know what to do, do the “Cat” exercise. Standing on all fours, lift your chin high, arching your back, and stay in this position for a short time. Relax and repeat a few more times. You can just kneel down, lean on your elbows and stand like that for a bit. After doing the exercises, it is better to lie down and rest.

How else can you relieve the tone of the uterus during pregnancy?

The best remedy for tone is to lie down. It would be best at this moment to watch a pleasant movie or listen to music.

The tone of the uterus is a temporary condition.

A wise doctor told me that he did not understand why a woman is given leave after the 30th week of pregnancy, because the first trimester is also a very exciting period in a woman's life. Ideally, if during this period the expectant mother is surrounded by care, attention and protected from additional worries.

And this will be the best prevention of uterine tone in the first trimester.

In the third trimester, tone is confused with training contractions. In the West, it is customary to talk about "Braxton-Hicks contractions" when it comes to painless uterine contractions throughout the entire gestation period. There is even a joke in the obstetric environment about this, that "the uterus, like a good athlete, should warm up before the race." It means that such “false contractions” are the training of the uterus before childbirth.

For more information about preparing for childbirth, see the online course Easy childbirth - how to give birth without breaks and protect your baby from birth injuries.

To reduce the risk of hypertension, follow a few basic recommendations:

Drink at least 2.5 liters of clean drinking water.
Don't take long breaks between meals.
Seek help from osteopaths. A good specialist will not only save the pregnant woman from discomfort, but also in the early stages will help to avoid hypertonicity.
Increase magnesium-rich foods in your diet. It prevents muscle contractions. Eat greens, bananas, green vegetables, make smoothies and fresh juices from them. Oatmeal and buckwheat porridge, beans, almonds are also useful. See the book The secrets of proper nutrition for the expectant mother >>>
Observe sexual rest during the period of indisposition.
Remember: if the mother is worried and worried, the released hormone adrenaline affects the contraction of the uterus, the tone increases. So don't be nervous!
Try to create. Coloring in the style of "Antistress", including specially for pregnant women, is now at the peak of popularity. They have been proven to reduce anxiety levels and help expectant mothers relax.
Try to move, because physical inactivity negatively affects intestinal motility, constipation becomes more frequent. As a result, bloating and pain in the abdomen, which are mistaken for tone or the threat of miscarriage. Read more about bloating during pregnancy >>>
Be careful with doctor's prescriptions. For example, droppers with magnesia and ginipral, which are usually prescribed to women with tone, can further lead to the fact that the uterus cannot contract itself and the woman in labor is found to have a weakness in labor. No-shpa and suppositories with papaverine also cannot be called harmless antispasmodics, because they have a lot of side effects. And if there is no real threat of abortion, think about whether you need to use all these drugs for reinsurance?

Pregnancy is a wonderful time. Surround yourself with nice people, provide yourself with pleasant experiences, pamper yourself, and then nothing will overshadow all 9 months of joyful expectation of a baby.

The tone of the uterus is a characteristic of the state of the uterine muscles, which describes the degree of its tension and is measured in millimeters of mercury.

There are the following options for the state of the uterine muscles:

- The uterus is hypotonic- this is a pathological condition of the uterus, in which its muscles are excessively relaxed, it is a complication of the early postpartum period, the cause of hypotonic uterine bleeding.
- The uterus is normal- this is the physiological state of both the pregnant and non-pregnant uterus, in which the muscles are at rest.
- Uterus in high tonus- a state of tension of the uterine muscles, which can be either permanent or temporary (contractions during childbirth). An increase in the tone of the uterus can be either in one specific place (local), or it can capture all parts of the uterus (total).
- Uterine hypertonicity- an anomaly of labor activity, in which the number of contractions in 10 minutes is more than four, i.e. this pathology occurs only in childbirth.

It should be noted that the expression "uterine hypertonicity", which is mistakenly used by some specialists and their patients, implying an increase in uterine tone during pregnancy, is incorrect, because. this term describes one of the types of anomalies of labor activity.

The tone of the uterus in normal and pathological conditions

Normally, the tone of the uterus during pregnancy ranges from 8 to 12 mm Hg. Exceeding these values during pregnancy can be both physiological in nature, for example, when it occurs in response to fetal movement, and pathological, when such uterine activity is permanent and / or accompanied by painful sensations, and in this case is a symptom of threatening preterm birth or threatened spontaneous abortion. If such uterine activity becomes periodic and contractions are repeated after a certain time interval, leading to the opening of the cervix, then they speak of labor, i.e. the onset of preterm labor (if the term is 22-37 weeks) or the onset of spontaneous abortion (up to 22 weeks).

Causes of increased uterine tone

There are many reasons for the increase in uterine tone. Among them, the main role is played by infections that exist in the mother's body, such as infections of the oral cavity, genitourinary system, gastrointestinal tract, and skin infections. In second place in importance are socio-economic factors: age (less than 18 and more than 35 years), the presence of serious background diseases (diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, obesity), the presence of bad habits (alcohol abuse, smoking, drug use), low level education, poor living conditions, the presence of psycho-emotional overload, poor working conditions, non-compliance with the regime of work and rest - all these factors, both individually and taken together, have a very strong influence on the course of pregnancy.

In addition, complications of this pregnancy may also be the reasons for the increase in uterine tone: incorrect position of the fetus (breech presentation, transverse position of the fetus), placental pathologies (placental insufficiency, placenta previa), developmental abnormalities and diseases of the uterus (bicornuate uterus, doubling of the uterus, the presence of partitions in the uterus, uterine fibroids, uterine scar after a previous cesarean section or removal of a myomatous node), complications of this pregnancy (moderate and severe nephropathy), the presence in the past of premature birth, abortion (both spontaneous and artificial), the presence of miscarriage in blood relatives in the family, the presence of congenital malformations of the fetus (especially those incompatible with life).

Symptoms of increased uterine tone during pregnancy

An increase in the tone of the uterus is manifested by pain in the abdomen, especially in the lower sections, of a pulling nature, periodic “hardening of the abdomen”, a feeling of tension in the abdomen, sometimes frequent urination, and sometimes an increase in fetal motor activity.

Diagnostics

By itself, increased uterine tone is not a diagnosis, it is the main symptom of the threat of miscarriage. In order to diagnose an increase in the tone of the uterus, sometimes ordinary palpation is sufficient, but it should be remembered that it is not always objective, unlike cardiotocography (simultaneous recording of uterine contractions and fetal heartbeat), which objectively assesses the situation and allows comparison between earlier indicators and later, i.e. evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment and the dynamics of uterine activity.

Treatment of increased uterine tone during pregnancy

To avoid spontaneous abortion in the early stages and premature birth in the late, increased uterine tone must be reduced. Most often, with the threat of termination of pregnancy, a pregnant woman is recommended to go to the hospital and undergo treatment. With an increased tone of the uterus, the supply of oxygen and nutrition to the fetus worsens, so treatment is necessary.. To reduce uterine activity, special drugs called tocolytics are used.
These are drugs belonging to different pharmacological groups, having a different mechanism of action, but one effect: they reduce increased uterine activity. To remove the increased tone of the uterus helps:

Ginipral, partusisten, salbutamol, terbutaline. Currently, the most effective safe drug from this group is ginipral. In emergency cases, it is prescribed in the form of droppers, after which they switch to a tablet form.

Nifedipine, this drug exists only in the form of tablets.

Magnesium sulphate/magnesium sulphate, intravenous solution only, currently only used to reduce uterine hypertonia when other drugs are contraindicated for one reason or another

Indomethacin is prescribed in the form of rectal suppositories.

Forecast

A favorable outcome depends on many factors: the condition of the birth canal, the duration of pregnancy, the condition of the fetus, including its position in the uterus, the integrity of the membranes (amniotic fluid rupture), the presence of pregnancy complications, the presence of concomitant diseases, and also the timeliness of contacting a doctor . Of course, the positive attitude of the patient is very important.

Prevention of increased uterine tone

First of all, it should be noted the importance of preparing for pregnancy, timely treatment of infections of the genitourinary system, sanitation (improvement) of the oral cavity, then you should pay attention to the mode of work and rest, and then take into account the need to accurately follow all the recommendations of the attending physician.

Obstetrician-gynecologist Kondrashova D.V.

Any muscle has tone, including the smooth muscles of the uterus. During the development of the fetus, the uterus is always tense to a certain extent in order to support the fetus in the correct position and then ensure a normal birth. This state of the uterus is called normotonus, and means that the uterus is at rest. In the article, you will learn in detail how to distinguish the concept of "uterus in good shape" from "uterine hypertonicity".

The uterus is a hollow organ made up of three layers. The middle, muscular layer is called the myometrium. It is he who is responsible for the contractions and tone of the uterus. Uterine tension is measured in millimeters of mercury. Normally, it is in the range from 8 to 12 mm Hg. Art.

Normally, the uterus can sometimes strain more strongly, but at the same time, the pregnant woman does not have any unpleasant sensations. Many reasons can influence the tone of the uterus during pregnancy, including the psychological state, physical stress. Often the tone of the uterus during pregnancy increases during a gynecological examination.

However, sometimes the tone of the uterus during pregnancy remains elevated for some time. This condition is called "increased uterine tone", or simply "uterine tone", or "uterine tone". This is not a disease, but a symptom of some deviations in a woman's health. It should not be ignored: the uterus in good shape is a danger to pregnancy and fetal development.

It is worth noting that it is not entirely correct to use the term "hypertonicity" as a synonym for uterine tone. Hypertonicity is called pathology during childbirth, when contractions occur too often. To determine the tension of the uterus that occurs during pregnancy, it would be more correct to use the term "uterus in good shape" or "uterine tone".

Another pathological condition is the hypotonicity of the uterus, when, on the contrary, it is too relaxed. Reduced uterine tone during pregnancy can lead to hypotonic uterine bleeding.

Physiological increase in uterine tone

Even with the normal course of pregnancy, the tone of the uterus may increase for a short time, which is not a pathology. The reasons for the physiological increase in tone include:

nervous tension, excitement, for example, at the doctor's office;
physical exercise;
sex and orgasm;
fetal movement;
laughing, coughing, sneezing.

After these factors cease to act, the tone of the uterus during pregnancy returns to normal. If it remains elevated, they can diagnose an increased tone, or tone of the uterus.

After 35 weeks, a periodic increase in tone is the norm - these are the so-called training contractions, during which the uterus is preparing for childbirth.

How is uterine tone diagnosed?

How to determine that the uterus is in good shape?

The duration and frequency of the increase in tone, the presence or absence of secretions matters.
To diagnose the tone of the uterus, an ultrasound is performed, which reveals a total (when the entire uterus is tense) or local (when a certain area is tense) tone. The tense area looks like a thickening of the myometrium on ultrasound.
Also during pregnancy, when the uterus has already left the pelvic area, the doctor may notice its tension during palpation. Depending on the degree of tone, the uterus may feel hardened to the point of feeling "stone". Sometimes the pregnant woman herself feels that the uterus is “hardening”. If the tone is local, then there may not be any discomfort. Palpation determines the tension of the uterus, its size, the presentation of the fetus and its position in the uterus.
Also, to determine whether the uterus is in good shape, cardiotocography is used - a record of uterine contractions and the fetal heartbeat.
Another way to diagnose uterine tone is tonusometry. To do this, there is a special device with a sensor that is applied to the stomach.
Be sure to check the condition of the cervix, it should not open.
To determine the cause of the tone more precisely, and it may also consist in an increased or decreased level of certain hormones, additional blood tests are prescribed.

Symptoms of uterine tone

Usually a slight increase in uterine tone does not manifest itself. It is detected during routine gynecological examinations. Most often, the tone develops in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A woman begins to feel only a strong tone, while the following symptoms occur:

What to do with symptoms of uterine tone?

With such symptoms, you need to give yourself first aid. You need to lie down, take an anesthetic that relaxes the muscles (antispasmodic): Drotaverine, Papaverine (in tablets or in the form of suppositories), Baralgin, No-Shpa, Papazol, completely relax, including relaxing the muscles of the face - their tension also affects muscle tension uterus.

Also, the “Cat” exercise can help with tone: get on all fours, bend your back, raising your head, then slowly return to the starting position. The exercise should be repeated two or three times, then lie down. To relieve discomfort from increased tone, you can get on all fours, leaning on your elbows - so the uterus will be in a "suspended" position.

Video: How to do the exercise "Cat"

Breathing exercises help to relax and calm down. You can sit or lie down in a comfortable position and breathe deeply, slowly and imagine how all the tension goes away on exhalation.

If such measures do not help, discomfort bothers for several hours, bleeding has appeared, you need to call an ambulance. But even if the condition has improved, it is necessary to contact a gynecologist as soon as possible, who will prescribe treatment. Remember, the tone of the uterus during pregnancy is a symptom of the threat of miscarriage.

Treatment of increased uterine tone

Usually, antispasmodic drugs are prescribed in the first trimester, as well as magnesium preparations and vitamin B6. To relieve increased anxiety and improve the psychological state of the expectant mother, sedative preparations containing motherwort, lemon balm, chamomile, and valerian are always prescribed. Also prescribe drugs that reduce the activity of the uterus.
If the tone of the uterus during pregnancy is caused by stress, anxiety, an unfavorable environment at home or at work, psychotherapy is indicated. If sedative herbal remedies do not help, stronger drugs are prescribed: Nozepam, Trioxazine and others.
If a low level of progesterone is established, drugs based on it are prescribed.
If some disease has become the cause of the tone of the uterus, then it is treated first of all.
To eliminate the threat of abortion, hormonal drugs are prescribed (progesterone and its analogues, such as Duphaston, Oxyprogesterone, folliculin), Carotene, Tocopherol Acetate, nicotinic acid, Papaverine as an antispasmodic. In the second trimester, with uterine tone, diathermy is prescribed - electrotherapy aimed at warming the tissues.
To reduce the tone of the uterus, such drugs as Salbutamol, Partusisten, magnesium sulfate are effective. Ginipral is considered the safest drug. In emergency cases, these drugs are administered intravenously, then in the form of tablets. Magnesium sulphate is prescribed in cases where other drugs are contraindicated. Also, with increased tone, Nifidepine is prescribed in the form of tablets, Indomethacin in the form of suppositories. All these drugs prevent the contraction of the smooth muscles of the uterus, but can only be prescribed by the attending physician.

With the tone of the uterus, a woman needs rest, in many cases bed rest is recommended. If outpatient treatment does not help, spotting appears, there are pains in the lower abdomen or in the back, then the expectant mother is placed “for preservation” in order to take measures in the hospital to maintain the pregnancy and prevent premature birth.

Why does uterine tone occur during pregnancy?

The tone of the uterus during pregnancy is affected by both physical and psychological factors. The tone of the uterus during pregnancy can develop as a result of some pathologies not related to the reproductive system, for example:

endocrine diseases, including diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases;
infectious diseases;
other diseases not directly related to the reproductive system (cardiovascular, renal, in particular, glomerulonephritis);
depression, increased anxiety.

Infectious diseases that are not necessarily associated with the genital area are the first most common cause of uterine tone, especially if the temperature is elevated. These can be diseases of the digestive system, acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, and diseased teeth can also act as a focus of infection.

Naturally, pathologies or features of the uterus and genital organs, features and complications of pregnancy, surgical interventions in the reproductive system have a great influence:

Pathologies of the development of the uterus (partitions in the uterus, bicornuate uterus, doubling of the uterus).
Tumors in the uterus.
Endometriosis.
Inflammation in the uterus and appendages.
Underdevelopment of the genital organs.
Past diagnosis of infertility.
mother and fetus.
Polyhydramnios.
Abortions and other operations on the uterus in the past, including caesarean section.
Genetic factors, for example, miscarriage in blood relatives.
Complications of pregnancy: placental insufficiency, placenta previa, placental abruption.
Malformations of the fetus.
Malposition.
Severe toxicosis - during vomiting, the abdominal muscles contract, which directly affects the uterus.
A large number of pregnancies.
Miscarriage in the past.
Decreased levels of progesterone or prolactin (in this case, infertility also occurs), increased levels of male sex hormones.
Multiple pregnancy.
Large fruit size.

The age of a woman also affects the likelihood of tone. If the expectant mother is younger than 18 or older than 35, then this probability increases.

The lifestyle of a pregnant woman also matters. Lead to increased tone:

lack of sleep;
bad habits;
poor living conditions;
malnutrition;
physical work;
nervous tension, anxiety, stress, unfavorable family situation;
mode of work: business trips, daily work, harmful factors of production.

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How to remove the increased tone of the uterus during pregnancy. Causes and symptoms in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester. Sensations of pregnant women with tone. What to do and how to treat at home (mom reviews).

From a medical point of view, the uterus is a hollow internal organ. It consists of two mucous membranes (external and internal) and a muscular "layer". In a normal state, the uterus is relaxed (the so-called normal uterine tone).

During pregnancy, the muscles of the uterus contract, in medicine this phenomenon is called tone. Muscles can contract due to laughter, coughing, sneezing, and the psychological state of a woman can affect them.

A slight tension in the muscles of the uterus is considered normal if it is short-term and does not cause any inconvenience to the expectant mother.

Prolonged and painful contraction of the muscles of the uterus is called hypertonicity. This condition threatens the fetus and pregnancy. In the 1-2 trimester, the tone can cause a miscarriage, at a later date (3 trimester) it can provoke premature birth.

Reasons for the appearance

Prolonged, painful tension in the muscles of the uterus (hypertonicity) occurs from:

nervous overload, stress;
unhealthy lifestyle (bad habits);
muscle strain during significant physical exertion;
improper production of hormones at the initial stage of pregnancy (the body does not produce enough progesterone, which relaxes the muscles);
structural and inflammatory changes in the body (myoma, endometriosis);
significant stretching of the muscles of the uterus (the uterus can stretch from a large fetus, multiple pregnancy, polyhydramnios);
diseases transferred by the mother (tonsillitis, pyelonephritis, influenza);
previous abortions;
severe toxicosis;
Rh - conflict between mother and child (the body of a Rh - negative mother can reject a Rh - positive child as a foreign body, the result of this is an increased tone).

Feelings in the first trimester

The tone of the uterus at the beginning of pregnancy can lead to the death of the embryo and miscarriage. The danger of hypertonicity in a short time is that it is almost impossible to “feel” it on your own (the uterus is still small in size).

Strong and prolonged pain in the lower abdomen should alert (pain is stronger than that which happens during menstruation).

A pregnant woman needs to visit a doctor in order to find out exactly the cause of the pain, since it is not uncommon for an ectopic pregnancy to “manifest itself” this way. In addition to frequent and prolonged pain in the lower abdomen, you should also consult a doctor if there is bloody discharge from the vagina, the sudden disappearance of signs of pregnancy (the breast has stopped swelling, the basal temperature has decreased).

Tone in the second trimester

In the 2nd trimester, a small tummy appears, but increased uterine tone still poses a danger to pregnancy. The tension of the muscles of the uterus negatively affects the development of the child. The baby does not receive enough nutrients (tense muscles can "block" the blood vessels, provoking the development of hypoxia). In especially severe cases, this leads to a fading pregnancy or miscarriage.

It is quite difficult for most women to determine uterine tone even in the second trimester, since again the main sign of “malfunctions” is the characteristic pain in the lower abdomen, while the uterus “stiffens”, shrinks (at the end of the second trimester, the expectant mother can already visually notice signs of tone when the uterus tenses, shrinks).

Tonus in the third trimester symptoms

The tone of the uterus in the third trimester is most often periodic. The uterus may contract and relax after a few seconds. This situation is considered quite normal, since the woman’s body is preparing for childbirth, such “changes” are called training contractions.

However, not all cramping pains of the third trimester should be attributed to training contractions. You can do a simple test. You need to take paper and a stopwatch and detect the frequency of pain. If the stomach tenses up every 5-10 minutes, this is a “training” of the body before childbirth (the test is informative after 30 weeks).

With severe and prolonged pain that does not go away for a long time, you should consult a doctor. Hypertonicity of the uterus in the third trimester is fraught with premature birth. The child may not yet be ready for birth (28-30 weeks), then the baby will need long-term rehabilitation and nursing.

What to do, how to treat

The answer is simple - see a doctor. Moreover, it is best to do this at the first suspicion of increased tone. The specialist will determine the severity of the tone, possible risks.

If there is no threat of termination of pregnancy, treatment is possible at home. A woman is prescribed bed rest, prescribed drugs that relieve spasm (no-shpa, papaverine), drugs containing magnesium and sedatives (sedatives).

In difficult cases, the expectant mother requires hospitalization. In the hospital, constant monitoring of doctors is provided, there are fewer “temptations” to violate the regime (the complete absence of physical activity, while at home it can be problematic to ensure peace).

Toning exercises

You can get rid of the increased tone of the uterus at home, but this does not mean that you need to forget about the medications prescribed by your doctor. You can use relaxation exercises.