**7. Abdominal pain in pregnancy**

Acute abdomen refers to abdominal pain of less than 1 week's duration requiring admission to hospital, which has not been previously treated or investigated.

Abdominal pain in pregnancy may be secondary to the anatomical and physiological changes of the pregnant state or may be totally unrelated to pregnancy.

Abdominal pain of any degree is a cause of significant maternal anxiety and constitutes a major reason for hospital attendance during pregnancy.

The gravid uterus enlarges to almost 20 times its normal 'non-pregnant 'size, which results in stretching of the supporting ligaments and muscles as well as pressure on the other intra-abdominal structures and layers of the anterior abdominal wall.

20% of the adnexal torsions occur or during pregnancy. This rarely includes torsion of the morphologically normal ovary.
