If your pelvis is aching, you're not alone. Up to 80 percent of women experience groin pain at some point during pregnancy, mostly in that final trimester when stress on the pelvic region is especially intense. Groin pain, however, can hit at almost any point in the pregnancy, and its impact can range from minor a few twinges, aches or a general feeling of heaviness and pressure in the pelvic region to debilitating a searing sensation that wraps around your back and snakes down below your growing belly.
Pinpointing just what it is or, rather, what it isn't is tough because it's such a wide-ranging problem and can sometimes difficult to describe to your obstetric provider.
It's important to know the difference between pelvic pain and pelvic pressure, as the latter signals the beginning of cervical effacement and dilation — i. Pelvic pressure in the pelvis and rectal area feels like crampiness similar to menstrual cramps and groin discomfort, and it often comes along with a low backache.
It's also more likely to occur in second and later pregnancies. Symptoms for pelvic pain, on the other hand, include wrenching pain as though your pelvis is coming apart and discomfort while walking. It can be short-lived like the round ligament pain that sometimes strikes during the second trimester.
Round ligament pain. Your increasingly heavy baby is burrowing deeper into your pelvis in preparation for birth, and that little or not-so-little head is now pressing hard against your bladder, rectum, hips and pelvic bones.
You'll know it's a contraction if you lie down and feel your belly; your uterus will become hard, and then relax. They should disappear on their own but if you have more than four contractions an hour for two hours, call your doctor. Up to 10 percent of expectant moms will get a urinary tract infection UTI at some point during their pregnancy, according to the March of Dimes. Typical symptoms include a sudden urge to urinate, pain or burning with urination, and bloody urination, but some patients with a UTI also experience abdominal pain , says Linda Chambliss, M.
Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. The good news is that if a UTI is caught early, it should be easy to treat with antibiotics.
Constipation, which is common when you're expecting, can cause some pelvic pain during pregnancy or discomfort. Drink plenty of water, and eat fiber-rich foods such as raw fruits and vegetables. If that doesn't help, ask your obstetrician if you can try a stool softener or a glycerin suppository, suggests Dr. Vulvodynia is a condition that causes chronic pain in the vulvar and vaginal area, but has no obvious source.
It's not caused by infection, obvious trauma, or injury—and yet the pain can be really bad. It's hard to diagnose, and even when a doctor does properly diagnose it, many women are treated ineffectively and disrespectfully, because the source of pain isn't anything doctors can see or test.
If you have vulvodynia, an epidural can help with labor and delivery pain. Some women develop serious complications during pregnancy that cause different types of pain. If you have pelvic pain that's coupled with certain symptoms, such as fever and bleeding, be sure to call your doctor right away. Here are the more serious causes of pelvic pain during pregnancy. When women experience abdominal pain in the first trimester, "you always have to be concerned about miscarriage," says Patrick Duff, M.
D, professor and residency program director in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Florida, in Gainesville. That's because the unfortunate fact is that 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage.
Symptoms of miscarriage include bleeding and cramping that can be rhythmic or resemble menstrual cramps. If you're experiencing a persistent backache and pelvic pressure that comes and goes, you may be in labor. If these symptoms occur before 37 weeks, it's considered preterm labor. Ectopic or tubal pregnancies, in which the egg implants someplace other than the uterus, most often in the fallopian tube, occur in 1 in 50 pregnancies, according to the March of Dimes.
In the unlikely event that you have an ectopic pregnancy , you may experience intense pain and bleeding between your 6th and 10th weeks of pregnancy, as the tube becomes distended.
You might be at increased risk for an ectopic pregnancy if you have had an ectopic pregnancy in the past, or have had pelvic, abdominal, or fallopian tube surgery, endometriosis, a tubal ligation, an intrauterine device IUD in place at the time of conception, or a pelvic infection. An abnormally shaped uterus and the use of artificial reproductive techniques also seem to increase the risk. Ectopic pregnancies cannot continue and require immediate treatment.
If you had a positive pregnancy test but have not yet had your pregnancy confirmed by a medical exam, and you experience abdominal pain, you should be evaluated immediately by your OB-GYN, says Linda Chambliss, M. Miscarriage is the loss of pregnancy before 20 weeks. Once a miscarriage has started, there is no treatment for saving the pregnancy, but in some cases medication or surgery is needed. Ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg attaches itself in a place other than the inside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes.
You may feel sharp, stabbing, or chronic pain on one or both sides of the uterus or abdomen. Ectopic pregnancy is a medical emergency. The round ligaments are located in the pelvis and hold the uterus in place. As your belly grows, they stretch. With round ligament pain, you may experience what feels like a spasm on the right side of your abdomen or right hip.
Some pregnant women do feel round ligament pain on both sides, though. The pain should only last a few seconds or minutes, though it may return when you laugh or do certain movements like standing or bending down. If you continue to experience round ligament pain, it may be helpful to try light stretching, prenatal yoga, or prenatal massage. Always check with your doctor before trying these treatments, though.
Treatment for uterine pains depends on your symptoms. Mild uterine pain that goes away after a few minutes or hours is likely nothing to worry about. You can treat mild uterine discomfort at home by taking a warm not hot shower or bath, resting, and drinking plenty of water and other fluids.
Sharp, stabbing, or chronic pain along with symptoms like bleeding, shortness of breath, or fever or chills likely requires emergency medical care.
The medical staff will assess your symptoms and may perform an ultrasound. You may require additional treatment. Plan ahead and talk about your birth plan with your birth partner and midwife. Write in your birth plan that you have PGP, so the people supporting you during labour and birth will be aware of your condition.
Think about birth positions that are the most comfortable for you, and write them in your birth plan. Being in water can take the weight off your joints and allow you to move more easily, so you might want to think about having a water birth. You can discuss this with your midwife. If you have pain when you open your legs, find out your pain-free range of movement.
To do this, lie on your back or sit on the edge of a chair and open your legs as far as you can without pain. Your partner or midwife can measure the distance between your knees with a tape measure. This is your pain-free range. To protect your joints, try not to open your legs wider than this during labour and birth. This is particularly important if you have an epidural for pain relief in labour, as you won't be feeling the pain that warns you that you're separating your legs too far.
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