Pregnancy

Experiencing breast pain during pregnancy is not an uncommon thing. Sometimes it is also an indication that a woman is pregnant and is most often experienced in the first trimester. The pain is known to reduce and sometimes even stop during the second and third trimesters. However, some women may continue to experience the pain off and on all the way through their pregnancy. The breast pain experienced by women during their pregnancy usually starts when they are about 4 weeks pregnant and is generally caused by an imbalance in the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The best way to deal with the pain is to make sure that you eat healthy and ensure that you wear clothes that support the body. Some of the signs that point to the fact that one may be suffering from breast pain are signs like swelling in the breasts, redness and excessive pain in only one breast.

Causes Of Breast Pain During Pregnancy

There are a multitude of factors that result in pain in the breasts during pregnancy. Some of these factors are:

Hormonal Imbalance

Sometimes when there is a lack of estrogen and an abundance of progesterone in the body, the blood flow to the breasts increases to stimulate the formation of the cells responsible for lactation. The increase in blood flow results in the enlargement of the breasts which in turn causes the breasts to hurt. The skin also gets stretched and becomes itchy as a result of such an enlargement.

Leaky Breasts

Around the 12th week of pregnancy, many women notice that their breasts have started discharging a viscous fluid. This fluid is known as colostrum and is the same fluid that nourishes the baby during the initial stages of infancy. The leakage of the liquid causes the mother discomfort (especially if it is her first pregnancy) and can result in pain.

Fibrocystic Breast Changes

Fibrocystic breast change is a condition that affects almost 60% of women around the world. A woman suffering from fibrocystic breast change will be able to feel non cancerous lumps in her breasts. Fibrocystic breast changes are characterised by the formation of cysts, full of liquid, in the breast tissue and are associated with hormonal imbalance in the body. A biopsy may be needed to diagnose the problem properly but it is no cause for alarm as it does not indicate an onset of cancer.

Mastitis

Mastitis is an infection that might set in when an expecting mother starts lactating. It is classified into two types; infectious and non infectious mastitis. Infectious mastitis is caused by a bacterial infection that infects the milk ducts near the nipple if the skin is flaky or cracked. On the other hand, non infectious mastitis is caused by the retention of milk in the milk duct due to improper drainage. Mastitis is generally caused as a result of the blockage of the flow of milk from the breast. It is not a rule that only women who have already delivered can contract mastitis. There are times when it can be contracted even before delivery.

Some aches and pains are quite regular during pregnancy.  However, if problems persist then it is always wise to visit a doctor at the earliest.