By Dr, Roy Pitkin
Q: I'm 11 weeks pregnant, and a large object fell on my stomach during a home project. I have pain in my abdomen and am worried that I have injured my baby.

A: It is quite unlikely that your pregnancy would be damaged by the type of injury you describe. At 11 weeks, the uterus is still in the pelvis rather than the abdomen and, moreover, the pregnancy inside the uterus is cushioned quite well against blunt trauma. The soreness you experience is more likely related to some minor injury to your abdominal wall. Nevertheless, it would be wise to be checked; an ultrasound scan showing a normal fetus and placenta would be reassuring.

Roy Pitkin, M.D., is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and is the former chair of the ob/gyn department at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. He is a frequent advisor to national health agencies on women's health issues and has received numerous international honors for this work.

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Your Baby Today is proud to feature this expert Q&A with Dr. Pitkin. New questions and answers will be added to this page regularly. If you have any questions for Dr. Pitkin, please write to him at pitkin@yourbabytoday.com. While Dr. Pitkin cannot respond to each individual inquiry, we will post answers to the most commonly asked questions here.

The content on these pages is provided as general information only and should not be substituted for the advice of your physician.


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