Abdominal pain in females can be caused by a wide range of conditions related to digestive, inflammatory, urinary, and reproductive systems.
Common Causes of Abdominal Pain in Females
- Reproductive causes: Menstrual cramps, ovulation pain (mittelschmerz), endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), pelvic organ prolapse, and painful periods. Pain can also result from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and conditions like interstitial cystitis affecting the bladder.
- Digestive causes: Indigestion, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis), appendicitis, food allergies or poisoning, gallstones, pancreatitis, diverticulitis, peptic ulcers, and stomach flu.
- Urinary causes: Urinary tract infections (cystitis), kidney infection (pyelonephritis), and kidney stones.
- Other causes: Abdominal muscle strain, hernias, and some cancers affecting abdominal organs.
- Chronic pain causes: Sometimes chronic abdominal pain is related to conditions like celiac disease, functional dyspepsia, or less clearly identifiable causes where pain itself may become a disease.
When to Seek Medical Attention
- Severe or sudden pain.
- Pain that disrupts daily activities or worsens over time.
- Accompanying symptoms such as fever, vomiting blood, black tarry stools, abnormal bleeding, or persistent urinary symptoms.
Summary
Abdominal pain in females can arise from many sources including reproductive organs (menstrual cycle, infections, cysts), gastrointestinal tract (inflammation, obstruction, infection), urinary system (infections, stones), and other systemic conditions. Proper diagnosis is essential since some causes require urgent treatment (e.g., appendicitis, PID) while others may be managed medically or surgically. This broad overview captures the many potential causes of abdominal pain in females and the importance of medical evaluation for persistent or severe symptoms.
