Skip to main content

Severe belly pain that doesn't go away

  • You have a sharp, stabbing, or cramp-like belly pain that doesn’t go away
  • Your belly pain starts suddenly and is severe, or gets worse over time
  • You have severe chest, shoulder, or back pain
More Information

Severe belly pain is especially worrisome if you also have:

  • Back pain
  • Heartburn so bad it hurts in your chest
  • Pain in the upper part of your belly
  • Vaginal bleeding

Severe belly pain may be a warning sign of other problems, such as:

  • A placental abruption – when your placenta separates from the wall of your uterus before birth
  • Preeclampsia – a type of high blood pressure that happens during pregnancy
  • HELLP Syndrome – a condition of pregnancy that affects your blood and liver