5 Weeks Pregnant Cramping (Right Or Left Side): Spotting, Back pain

If you are worried about your 5 weeks pregnant cramping, lower back pain, and spotting, this guide explains all you need to know.

Are you experiencing pain on the left or right side of your abdomen? Do you experience belly pain like your period cramps? Are you having period like bleeding at five weeks pregnancy?

Most women that happen to be getting pregnant for the first time will get bothered when they start experiencing cramps with or without lower back pain.

The truth is, it’s not abnormal that you will get belly cramps when you are pregnant. In reality, as your baby grows, you may feel more cramps in your abdomen, and mild, short-lived cramping is often a normal early pregnancy symptom (similar to period pains).

Some women could even start having cramps around the week before missing period. This pain may in some women be due to implantation as the embryo attaches to the lining of the womb, but not every woman notices this and it is not possible to prove implantation pain in every case.

Usually, if you were very conscious of your pregnancy signs in early pregnancy, belly cramps that are mild before missing your period may be your first noticeable pregnancy sign.

This may come with light vaginal bleeding that does not last for long, sometimes called “implantation bleeding”. However, because bleeding in early pregnancy can also be a sign of problems, organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advise that you talk to your doctor or midwife if you are unsure about any bleeding.

If you are five weeks pregnant and experiencing mild cramps with back pain, it’s not unusual.

Nevertheless, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, urinary tract infection, and sexually transmitted diseases may cause you to have cramps in your belly with or without vaginal bleeding.

One other reason you may get cramps on the right or left side of your abdomen when pregnant is the stretching of the round ligament. As your baby grows, it stretches this ligament resulting in pain. Round ligament pain is usually more common from the second trimester but some women can feel it earlier in pregnancy.

If you’ve already confirmed pregnancy and start getting severe cramps in your abdomen, it’s important you inform your doctor for help or go to the hospital quickly, especially if pain is one-sided or associated with bleeding, dizziness, or fainting.

What causes 5 weeks pregnant cramping (right or left side)

If you are now pregnant and have pain on either side of your abdomen, these are possible causes.

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1. A sign of pregnancy

It’s nothing new that women will get cramps during pregnancy. These cramps are a normal part of pregnancy for many women and may get worse as you get near your delivery date.

If you are five weeks pregnant, it’s possible you’ve you already had cramps before now due to implantation. As you get into your 6th and 7th week of pregnancy, you will continue to feel cramps that may sometimes affect your days’ work.

Some women may also notice cramps after having sexual intercourse with their partner.

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2. Urinary tract infection

If you get pregnant with a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may get lower abdomen pains. UTI means infections of the bladder, kidneys, urethra or the ureters.

Usually, it’s common for women to start having urinary tract infections from the 6th week of pregnancy. However, it could occur earlier. This occurs because as your baby grows and obstructs the bladder causing retention of urine.

If you get a urinary tract infection, you may not have symptoms at all. However, in some women, cramps in the lower abdomen may occur.

Other symptoms of UTI are pain when urinating, urge to pee frequently, cramps after or during sexual intercourse, blood in urine and occasionally fever.

If you have any of these symptoms with cramps at five weeks, it’s a sign you have UTI. You should talk to your doctor about treatment options. Untreated infection in pregnancy can spread to the kidneys and make you very sick, so expert groups like ACOG recommend proper testing and antibiotics if needed.

Your doctor will request for a urinalysis and culture of your urine. Treatment is usually with oral antibiotics that are safe in pregnancy and prescribed by your doctor.

Do not try to treat a suspected UTI in pregnancy on your own with herbs or leftover antibiotics. Always see your doctor or midwife for advice.

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3. Round ligament stretching

Before pregnancy, it’s strange you will get any pain when getting up from bed in the morning or when turning from side to side.

When you get pregnant, you will start experiencing this kind of pain, and it occurs because your round ligament is being stretched as your baby grows.

Anatomically, the round ligament extends from the lateral wall of the uterus (where the fallopian tube is attached to the body of the uterus) to the labia majora.

During pregnancy, round ligament stretching will cause you to have pain. Most women will complain of sharp pain that is often over the right or left side of the abdomen and might also be noticed in your groin.

Round ligament pain may continue to come and go during pregnancy. Gentle movement, changing position slowly, using a pregnancy support belt, rest, or a warm (not hot) bath often helps to ease this pain.

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4. You have a miscarriage

At five weeks, you should quickly inform your doctor if you get abdominal cramps and vaginal bleeding with blood clots.

During a miscarriage, most women will have a sharp pain in the lower abdomen with vaginal bleeding. Additional symptoms are feeling unwell and diminishing signs of pregnancy.

If bleeding and cramping pain is so severe, your doctor will request an ultrasound scan and may clear up your womb with medications or surgery.

This usually stops spotting and cramping; though it’s possible you will continue to feel mild cramps for some days.

Then again, it’s possible your baby is not affected following vaginal spotting and belly cramps. In such a circumstance, it’s recommended you comply with your doctor’s advice and give yourself a lot of rest, stop strenuous physical exercise and be consistent with your prenatal check-up.

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5. You have an ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy is an important cause of back pain, cramps and vaginal bleeding in the first three months of pregnancy that doctors always want to rule out because it can be life-threatening.

Ectopic pregnancy means that your baby is growing elsewhere other than the uterus (which normally houses the embryo during pregnancy).

As the embryo increases in size, it may cause rupture of the fallopian tube with bleeding into the abdomen. This will certainly cause sharp pain on either the left or right side of your abdomen, depending on the fallopian tube affected.

Other symptoms are vaginal bleeding, severe back or shoulder tip pain, dizziness and loss of consciousness.

You must inform your doctor quickly or go to the emergency room if you are five weeks pregnant with these symptoms. You can read more about warning signs from ACOG’s ectopic pregnancy FAQ and the Mayo Clinic.

What causes spotting during pregnancy 5 weeks?

If you start having light bleeding at five weeks, here are possible reasons:

• Implantation bleeding

• Sexual intercourse

• Ectopic pregnancy

• Cervical polyps

• Miscarriage

• Molar pregnancy

• Vaginal infection

Any bleeding or spotting in early pregnancy should be discussed with your doctor or midwife, because sometimes it can be the first sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy even when pain is mild.

What causes 5 weeks pregnant back pain?

If you experience mild back pain during pregnancy after movement or postural change, it’s nothing to worry about.

Then again, back pain during early pregnancy can be due to vaginal infections, ligament pain, hormone changes during pregnancy due to elevated relaxin, ectopic pregnancy or just a sign of implantation bleeding.

I have cramps at 5 weeks pregnant – when to worry?

If you are experiencing cramps at 5 weeks, you must inform your doctor if you get any of these symptoms:

• Severe abdominal pain

• Fever

• Painful urination

• Vaginal bleeding

• Smelly vaginal discharge

You should also seek urgent help if you feel dizzy, faint, have shoulder tip pain, or if the pain does not settle with rest, because these can be warning signs of ectopic pregnancy or other serious problems.

How to reduce cramping pain at 5 weeks pregnant

If you get pain when pregnant, any of these may help make you feel better. However, talking to your doctor is very necessary if cramps get severe.

• Use a warm bath (not hot)

• Take a lot of water and fruits to help reduce abdominal discomfort

• Be cautious when turning or getting up from bed

• Take paracetamol tablets if your doctor or midwife says it is safe for you. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is usually the first choice painkiller in pregnancy when used at the lowest dose for the shortest time.

• Apply warm compress on your abdomen instead of very hot water bottles to avoid burns