What does severe abdominal pain in pregnancy feel like with pre-eclampsia?

The discomfort can be steady, intense, tender, or pressure-like. It may sit in the upper abdomen or under the ribs and can sometimes be confused with indigestion. Pre-eclampsia can also occur with a severe headache, blurred or flashing vision, sudden swelling, nausea, vomiting, or feeling unusually unwell. Other pregnancy conditions can cause abdominal pain, so the sensation alone cannot identify the cause.

Stop strenuous activity, note when the pain began and where it is located, and contact your maternity team promptly. They may check your blood pressure, urine, blood tests, and your baby’s wellbeing. Do not wait for the pain to become unbearable or rely on home blood-pressure readings to decide that assessment is unnecessary.

Seek urgent maternity care now for severe or persistent upper abdominal pain, particularly with headache, vision changes, breathlessness, confusion, vomiting, bleeding, or reduced fetal movement. Call emergency services if you feel faint, have a seizure, develop severe breathing difficulty, or cannot travel safely.

Ask what your blood pressure and urine results show, whether pre-eclampsia is being assessed, which warning symptoms require immediate return, and how your baby will be monitored.