Abdominal pain during pregnancy

Abdominal pain during pregnancy presents unique clinical challenges. The differential diagnosis during pregnancy is extensive, in that the abdominal pain may be caused by obstetric or gynecologic disorders related to pregnancy, as well as intraabdominal diseases incidental to pregnancy. Gastroenterologists, as well as obstetricians, gynecologists, internists, and surgeons, should be familiar with the medical and surgical conditions that can present in pregnancy and how these conditions affect and are affected by pregnancy. This article reviews obstetric, gynecologic, medical, and surgical causes of abdominal pain during pregnancy, with a focus on aspects of abdominal diseases unique to pregnancy.