Pelvic pain is a common complaint during pregnancy. While some women experience only mild discomfort, others may have more severe pain that can interfere with their daily activities. To help you better understand what may be causing your pelvic pain, here are five possible causes.

Pelvic Pain Pregnancy WFMC Health

1. Weight Gain and Increased Pressure on the Joints

Pregnancy is usually accompanied by weight gain, which can put additional pressure on the joints and ligaments in your pelvis. This increased pressure can cause pain in the hips, lower back, and groin.

Additionally, as the fetus grows, it may put pressure on the nerves in your pelvis, which can lead to pain. This pain may be more pronounced during certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs.

2. Hormone Changes

During pregnancy, there are a number of hormonal changes that occur in the body. One of them is an increase in the hormone relaxin. This hormone helps to loosen the ligaments in the pelvis so that the baby can pass through more easily during delivery.

However, this loosening of the ligaments can lead to instability in the joints and pain. The pain is often worse in the second trimester when relaxin levels are at their highest.

3. Muscular Imbalance

As the weight of the baby grows, the muscles and ligaments in the pelvis become stretched and imbalanced. This normally happens towards the end of the pregnancy.

One inevitable thing that results from this is lower back pain. As the pregnancy progresses, the imbalances become more pronounced and can cause pain in other areas as well, such as the hips, thighs, and groin.

4. Digestive Issues

During pregnancy, the digestive system slows down due to the increased levels of the hormone progesterone. This leads to a number of digestive issues, such as constipation, bloating, and gas.

The pain from these issues can radiate to the pelvis, causing pelvic pain. In some cases, the pain may be severe enough to mimic labor pains.

5. Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are relatively common during pregnancy. The symptoms of a UTI can include pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis, a burning sensation when urinating, and cloudy or bloody urine.

If left untreated, a UTI can lead to a kidney infection, which is much more serious. If you think you may have a UTI, it’s important to see your doctor so that it can be treated promptly.

Pelvic pain is common during pregnancy and can have a number of different causes. If you are experiencing pelvic pain, it’s important to speak to your provider so that the cause can be determined and appropriate treatment can be given.

Do you have more questions about your pregnancy in Salem Oregon? Talk to our staff at WFMC Health or become a new patient today!

This post was originally published on WFMCHealth.org.