6 Weeks Pregnant Cramping (Right or Left Side), Back Pain, belly, Spotting

Questions: Should I be concerned about 6 weeks pregnant cramping, back pain or spotting? What should my 6 weeks pregnant belly look like?

If you’ve finally reached your 6th week of pregnancy, your baby is growing, and for sure, you do not want any complications to occur. Any cramps, spotting or severe back pain can easily make you concerned.

Are you worried why you have belly cramps in your 6th week of pregnancy? Do you feel cramps more on the right or left side of your abdomen? Are you experiencing vaginal bleeding too?

If this pregnancy is your first, you will be new to cramp-like pains in your abdomen.

The truth is, a lot of women who are expecting will get a light tummy pain every now and then. Mild, short-lived cramping can be part of normal early pregnancy changes and usually does not harm your baby. However, you should still pay attention to warning signs, especially if pain is severe, one-sided, or associated with bleeding.

It’s not abnormal to get anxious though. Here are other pregnant women concerns at 6 weeks you could learn from:

Am 6 weeks 5 days pregnant and every now and then these light tiny cramps can be felt in my abdomen. I heard if you have a miscarriage, you will get cramps too. Is this true because am not spotting?

I just tested for pregnancy yesterday after series of tiny cramps and breast pain. I also saw brownish spotting about 3 days before my menstrual period.

Because I felt differently, I quickly had a test for pregnancy that came out positive.

However, cramps won’t stop and are becoming more severe. Will cramps affect my baby and how can I stop these cramps?

If you are one of these mothers that now experience cramps, you are concerned about the potential risk of losing your baby.

Most of the time, mild abdominal cramps during early pregnancy will have no effect on your baby. On the other hand, if cramps are very severe with vaginal spotting and unbearable back pain, it’s likely something’s wrong and you should contact your doctor or go to the hospital urgently.Tommy’s+1

Common causes of tummy cramps at 6 weeks are normal stretching of the uterus and ligaments, constipation or gas, urinary tract infection, ovarian cyst, ectopic pregnancy, and a miscarriage.

This article explains the causes of 6 weeks pregnant belly pain, danger signs and what to do to feel better.

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How should my 6 weeks pregnant belly look like?

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What causes 6 weeks pregnant cramping?

For sure, if you have regular periods and have missed your period for about 2 weeks now, your pregnancy will be around 6 weeks by dates. Here are causes of belly cramps:

1. Implantation

Implantation is the attachment of the embryo (formed after the union of sperm and ovum) to your womb by burrowing into the endometrium.

The truth is, implantation bleeding occurs very early in pregnancy (around the time your period is due, about 3 to 4 weeks of pregnancy) and pain is usually not very severe. By 6 weeks, implantation has already happened, so new cramps at this time are usually from other causes.

Usually, mild bleeding and cramps can occur in early pregnancy and many women will still go on to have a healthy baby. However, any vaginal bleeding in pregnancy should be discussed with your doctor or midwife so they can decide if a check-up or scan is needed.Cleveland Clinic+1

Persistent cramping pain that is intolerable and lasting for days to weeks is abnormal.

2. Miscarriage

Because you are in your 6th week of pregnancy, it’s possible you may have a miscarriage.

Miscarriage means your pregnancy ends before 20 weeks and cramping abdominal pain is a common symptom.MedlinePlus+1

Sometimes stomach pain at 6 weeks with or without bleeding may be one of the signs that something is wrong. In other cases (missed miscarriage), there may be little or no pain or bleeding, and the problem is only seen on ultrasound when the baby has stopped growing.NCBI+1

However, most women that are diagnosed with a miscarriage usually experience vaginal bleeding and intense belly cramps.

But don’t panic yet. Not all vaginal spotting and cramps indicate you are having a miscarriage. Some women with early bleeding are later found to have a healthy ongoing pregnancy.Cleveland Clinic+1

If you’ve had sexual intercourse with your partner and notice you have light spotting and mild cramps, it can sometimes be due to a sensitive cervix in pregnancy or vaginal infection. Even so, you should still mention this to your doctor or midwife so they can rule out more serious causes.ACOG

On the other hand, heavy bleeding that soaks pads, with clots or tissue coming from the vagina, is very concerning for miscarriage and you need urgent medical care.MedlinePlus+1

What steps to take?

Because you are not sure if your stomach cramps are due to a miscarriage, it’s important you see your doctor for clinical evaluation, especially if you have bleeding, very strong pain, feel dizzy, or feel unwell.

An ultrasound scan will help confirm if you have a miscarriage and if your baby is still alive. In very early pregnancy this is often a transvaginal (internal) ultrasound to see more clearly.

If your pregnancy is viable and you are spotting, your doctor may advise you to take things easy and avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise. Strict bed rest has not been proven to prevent miscarriage, but following your doctor’s advice and avoiding over-exertion is still reasonable.hwehealthiertogether.nhs.uk+1

Many pregnant mothers who get scared of cramps and spotting in early pregnancy will still not have complications and will have a safe delivery.Cleveland Clinic+1

Alternatively, if your doctor suspects a serious health problem – miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy – other actions will be taken.

HCG test (human chorionic gonadotropin) is used to help check if your pregnancy is developing as expected. This hormone is produced by the placenta just after your baby implants into the uterine endometrium.

In fact, if you had your doctor already confirm your pregnancy, this hormone is the reason you tested positive.

Normally, this hormone will increase by doubling about every 2–3 days in early pregnancy. During a miscarriage, there is a sub-optimal rise or HCG starts to fall toward levels before pregnancy.ACOG+1

3. Ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy is not very common, though it is a leading cause of death in the first 3 months after conception. Ectopic pregnancy affects about 1–2 percent of pregnancies and accounts for around 10 percent of pregnancy-related deaths, especially if not diagnosed early.NCBI+1

The cause of an ectopic pregnancy is usually tubal damage that could result from previous surgeries, pelvic infections, or a failed or previous tubal ligation. Other risk factors include smoking and some fertility treatments.NCBI+1

Pelvic infections usually occur when you have sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia or gonorrhea that are not treated early, and you continue to have unprotected sexual intercourse. These infections can damage the tubes without obvious symptoms.Wikipedia

The truth is that a miscarriage may easily be confused with an ectopic pregnancy because both can cause pain and bleeding. However, ectopic pregnancy can cause more severe, sharp or stabbing pain (often on one side) and may be associated with shoulder-tip pain or feeling very unwell, especially if the tube ruptures and there is internal bleeding.ACOG

If nothing is done quickly, you will continue to get worse with subsequent rupture and intra-abdominal bleeding.

Danger signs of ectopic pregnancy are:

• Sudden, severe abdominal or pelvic pain, often on one side

• Shoulder tip pain or pain when breathing in

• Dizziness when standing or lying down

• Fainting

• Feeling very weak or looking very pale

• Vaginal bleeding or spotting with a positive pregnancy testACOG+

Call emergency services or go to the hospital immediately if you experience these symptoms.

4. You have a fibroid

With more than 20 percent of women within their child-bearing age having a fibroid, it is very possible you could have a fibroid without knowing.

Some fibroids, depending on their position and size, will not cause symptoms till you get pregnant. Fibroids usually get bigger in size and may even result in an early pregnancy loss or preterm births in some women.

A fibroid attached to the outside of the uterus with a stalk (pedunculated fibroid) may twist on itself and cause moderate to severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting during pregnancy.

Having said that, most fibroids are generally painless and many women with fibroids will still have a normal pregnancy and delivery.

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How to ease 6 weeks pregnant cramping and back pain

Most times, these tiny belly cramps will subside on their own. However, these are ways you can feel some relief:

• Apply a warm (not very hot) water bottle or heat pad wrapped in a cloth on your lower belly or back for short periods.

• Take a warm bath when you can.

• Drink enough water during the day so you are not dehydrated.

• Use pain relief medications like acetaminophen/paracetamol if needed (always consult your doctor first and use the lowest effective dose for the shortest time). Avoid ibuprofen, diclofenac, or other NSAIDs in pregnancy unless specifically prescribed by your doctor.ACOG+

If pain suddenly becomes severe, changes side, or is associated with bleeding, dizziness, fever or vomiting, do not just treat at home – get urgent medical care.

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What causes 6 weeks pregnant spotting?

If you are 6 weeks pregnant and spotting, it could be due to:

• Ectopic pregnancy

• Miscarriage or threatened miscarriage

• Urinary tract infection

• Ovarian cyst

• Ovarian torsion

• Vaginal infections (like yeast infection or STIs)

• Sexual intercourse or recent vaginal examination

Sometimes spotting can also be from normal changes in the cervix (it becomes softer and has more blood supply in pregnancy). However, any bleeding in early pregnancy should be reported to your doctor or midwife so that serious causes, including ectopic pregnancy, can be ruled out.ACOG+2Tommy’s+2

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What causes 6 weeks pregnant back pain?

Ordinarily, back pain will not mean anything serious if it’s occurring without bleeding or tummy cramps. Normal hormonal changes, posture, constipation and early pregnancy changes can all cause mild back discomfort.

If you are bleeding with back pain, it could be due to a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy and other causes listed here. Back pain with fever, burning when you pass urine, or pain in your side could also mean a urinary or kidney infection and needs medical review.

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When should I see a doctor urgently?

Call your doctor, midwife, or go to the emergency room straight away if at 6 weeks pregnant you have:

• Heavy vaginal bleeding (soaking pads, passing clots or tissue)

• Severe or one-sided lower tummy pain that does not settle with rest

• Pain with shoulder tip pain, dizziness, fainting, or feeling very weak

• Fever, foul-smelling discharge, or feeling very unwell

• Severe back pain with bleeding or difficulty passing urineTommy’s

When in doubt, it is always safer to call and be checked. Early review can save your life and protect your baby.