Young mothers will confirm that pregnancy is a unique process in which something constantly starts to hurt. This is due to the enormous changes that occur in the body during the period from the first days of bearing a child to childbirth. Therefore, it is generally accepted that pain is a normal part of pregnancy.
This myth is dispelled by experts, arguing that in fact pregnancy is not always accompanied by pain. To reassure expectant mothers, it’s worth clarifying that it all depends on what and when it starts to hurt. Most often, pregnant mothers turn to their doctors with complaints of discomfort in the perineum, which begins at 35-37 weeks. To find out whether this is normal, a general idea of what happens to the fetus in the body of the expectant mother at this stage will help.
Traditionally, the duration of each pregnancy is usually calculated at nine months, but the 37th week of pregnancy is already the beginning of the tenth month. The fact is that the ideal gestation period is 280 days - it is during this period that the baby has time to fully mature and develop for childbirth. One obstetric month consists of 28 days, that is, 4 weeks.
Therefore, 280 days are 10 gynecological months, which obstetricians operate with when calculating the due date for childbirth. For ordinary people, this is a little more than 9 calendar months. At week 37, the baby can ask to be born any day; this is the most intense and long-awaited time.
At week 37, the baby is, by all indications, ready to be born. During this period, the child is already an absolutely unique person, he has:
Every week the baby's size increases by about one centimeter.
At the tenth week of pregnancy, the expectant mother is actually ready for future birth, as evidenced by a significant increase in the amount of vernix lubrication produced. During the 37th week, as a rule, the abdomen droops and training contractions begin to occur. Strictly speaking, they begin earlier, but by this time they become more and more frequent. Normally, they should be painless and unsystematic.
At this stage, expectant mothers very often turn to doctors with complaints of severe pain occurring between their legs. There may be several explanations for this.
If the expectant mother suffers from painful sensations between her legs before the 37th week of gestation, then in this case it is necessary to consult a gynecologist. During such a period, pain may be a sign of possible complications and should be controlled with the help of special medications.
Sharp and constant pain in some cases is an indicator of the threat of spontaneous miscarriage. Sometimes experts attribute painful sensations to the extra pounds of a pregnant woman, which also requires additional monitoring.
So, you need to start with the fact that at the first signs of pain you need to consult a doctor so that he can determine the source and nature of the pain. If a specialist confirms that the painful sensations are associated with natural processes and do not pose any threat to the baby’s health, then the mother can think about how to get rid of the discomfort.
Carrying a fetus is a colossal burden on a woman’s body. This difficult period in her life is accompanied by pain of varying localization and severity. Expectant mothers often complain to their doctors about pain in the perineum during pregnancy.
If pain syndrome develops in the early stages, this is always a reason to visit a gynecologist. In late pregnancy, pain is most likely associated with the physiological preparation of the body for childbirth.
This largely depends on how far into the pregnancy you are. If the perineum hurts during pregnancy, a woman should consult a gynecologist. The causes of this syndrome can be very different.
The perineum hurts during early pregnancy, most often due to some pathology. After all, the fetus is still very small, it does not put pressure on the muscles and nerves of the perineum. Therefore, pain during this period is an alarming symptom.
This phenomenon is possible in the following pathological conditions:
During pregnancy at 38 weeks, pain in the groin is most often explained by physiological reasons. After all, the body is preparing for childbirth. By this time, the unborn baby is slowly moving towards the exit of the uterus.
This is accompanied by pain associated with the following processes:
Due to increased uteroplacental blood circulation, the load on the vessels of the expectant mother increases, and the tone of the walls of the pelvic vessels decreases. Therefore, pain in the groin during pregnancy is often caused by developing varicose veins of the perineum.
A significantly enlarged belly presses down, which is why women during pregnancy experience pain in the muscles between their legs in the last weeks. Just before childbirth, this may be a harbinger of the imminent passage of the mucous plug, and then the amniotic fluid. Mechanical pressure of the fetus on the cervix and an increase in its motor activity before birth also causes pain.
This can also be caused by pathological reasons - increased uterine tone, the development of inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.
During pregnancy, the muscles in the groin hurt due to stretching of the pelvic floor due to the pressure of the growing fetus. Inguinal myalgia can be caused by the presence of polyhydramnios, multiple pregnancies, or large fetuses. In addition, pressure on the muscles is often accompanied by inflammatory changes in the ligaments, tendons and articular structures of the pelvis and lower extremities.
The groin muscles hurt more often during pregnancy, when the physical activity of the expectant mother is reduced. A sedentary existence leads to congestion in the uterus and pelvis, decreased strength of tendons and ligaments, and sagging pelvic floor muscles. Such women are at risk of traumatic childbirth with ruptures of the cervix and vagina, and thrombophlebitis may develop in the postpartum period.
The bones of the perineum often hurt during pregnancy.
This is due to a number of factors:
Bones also hurt due to sprained pelvic floor muscles.
This phenomenon is especially characteristic of the last weeks of pregnancy, when the fetus gradually moves towards the cervix, puts pressure on it, and moves more and more actively. Often complaints are made by women suffering from chronic diseases of the large intestine, hemorrhoids and constipation. The pain intensifies when turning from side to side in a lying position and during bowel movements.
A gynecologist can explain to a woman why the perineum hurts during pregnancy. But often she is forced to consult a neurologist or therapist because her lower back begins to hurt. This is explained by the significant weight of the fetus in the last weeks of pregnancy, which leads to an increased load on the muscles, ligaments and bones of the pelvis and lumbar region.
The large belly of a pregnant woman in recent weeks causes the center of gravity to move forward, the spine tilts back to maintain a balanced position. The muscles of the back and lower back are in constant tension, which causes pain.
The ligaments of the spinal joints in the lumbosacral region are sprained. Myalgia in the lumbar region is especially typical for women who have suffered a back injury or have suffered from lumbar osteochondrosis and urolithiasis for a long time.
The pain is especially severe between the legs during the last weeks of pregnancy. In this case, pain is often provoked by walking. They typically intensify against the background of any physical activity. The pain radiates to the legs and limits physical activity. This is explained by compression of the sciatic nerve trunk by the fetal head.
In the later stages, when the pregnant body is preparing to give birth to a baby, the pain can acquire a pronounced shooting character. Their irradiation to the lower extremities and intensification even with minor physical activity are typical.
Nagging pain becomes more intense and persists even at rest when the nerves of the pelvic plexus are compressed by an incorrectly positioned fetus. They usually decrease or disappear as the child moves forward or his position changes.
The discharge of the mucous plug and amniotic fluid is preceded by increased nagging pain in the lower abdomen.
If the pain at the end of pregnancy is intense, doctors suspect the presence of an inflammatory process in the pelvic organs, ligaments, muscles and pelvic joints. The question of delivery by caesarean section may arise.
In cases where there is pain between the legs during pregnancy, a woman needs to do the following:
If your groin hurts during pregnancy, it is important to perform a set of exercises recommended by your gynecologist. They are designed to stretch and increase the elasticity of the muscles and ligaments of the pelvis and hip joints. Exercises should be done with pleasure, understanding that they will reduce discomfort in the perineum and facilitate the process of childbirth.
The simplest and safest are shallow squats with knees wide apart and leg swings in a standing position. It is better to perform the exercises with your hand resting on the back of a chair. The load must be dosed by a doctor. The appearance of unpleasant sensations serves as a signal to immediately stop exercising.
In the presence of varicose veins, venotonics and vascular drugs are prescribed for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, which will not harm the unborn baby. Wearing a bandage that supports the stomach and prevents it from sagging helps a lot.
Any pain is a signal of trouble and serves as a reason to treat yourself with increased attention, especially for expectant mothers. If pain occurs at the beginning of pregnancy, is accompanied by vaginal discharge and a disturbance in the general condition, you should urgently contact an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Timely prescribed therapy in a hospital setting will prevent miscarriage and save the baby’s life. The fact that the perineum hurts during pregnancy can be regarded as normal only in the later stages, but in any case, an examination is necessary so as not to miss the pathology.
Many girls, especially those who have not given birth before, are bothered by severe pain between their legs during late pregnancy. They consider these symptoms to be a manifestation of a dangerous disease, as a result of which they are constantly nervous, thereby harming both themselves and their child. In fact, this is a normal, although unpleasant, phenomenon.
You can get rid of it with the help of folk remedies and physical therapy. However, medicine knows of cases where such manifestations signaled a danger to the health of the child and the expectant mother.
Let's study this issue in detail.
According to gynecologists, severe discomfort during late pregnancy? a normal phenomenon caused by the body’s natural preparation for the birth process. This condition occurs at 36 weeks, since at such a time the baby is already preparing to leave the female body. The stomach drops and puts pressure on the hip joint, causing discomfort.
At 37-38 weeks, the fetus descends and the pelvic bones begin to separate. Since modern man is not trained and has endurance, his ligaments cannot withstand such pressure. Pain occurs, sometimes severe. It is not surprising that hundreds of expectant mothers write messages on thematic forums about what aches and pains between their legs during pregnancy.
However, if severe and sharp pain occurs in the muscles, it is better to consult your doctor. This may be the first sign of miscarriage or premature birth. You should be concerned if such manifestations make themselves felt at 34 weeks or earlier, outside the established time frame.
During pregnancy, obese women also experience leg pain. Sudden weight gain, obesity or a “big” build? causes of many diseases. Intense pressure is placed on the legs, causing them to ache. This reason is especially typical for thin girls who quickly gain weight.
Another reason why there is pain between the legs during pregnancy is a lack of vitamins. Lack of sufficient calcium and magnesium in the daily diet leads to weakening of the musculoskeletal system.
Doctors note that such symptoms become prerequisites for the following diseases:
Therefore, if you are interested in why muscles hurt during pregnancy and what to do with such a symptom, it is better to consult your doctor. He will be able to diagnose and prevent dangerous diseases in time!
Pain in muscles, bones and ligaments differs in origin and intensity.
The pain is caused by the separation of the pelvic bones and pressure on the ligaments. But this same symptom indicates the development of some disease. It is enough to pay attention to the nature of the sensations for initial self-diagnosis.
When during pregnancy there is slight discomfort between the legs, a little tugging,? this is a normal symptom. The sensation is similar to the feeling after a long workout, overworked muscles buzz and ache. Women experience similar pain after intense stretching exercises.
If discomfort occurs when walking, flat feet are suspected. Sharp pains are accompanied by constant cramps. By the end of the day, severe swelling appears and the legs become heavy.
When the calf muscles hurt, there is a risk of developing varicose veins. Then the pain becomes nagging and dull. It begins after a long walk and is accompanied by the appearance of “stars”.
When a woman has pain in her back, tailbone, or groin area, pay attention to the condition of the spine. Various mechanical damage, shifts, hernia, and other diseases are characterized by strong and dull pain. They appear throughout the body, disappearing and appearing.
To the question of who had pain in their legs while carrying a child, you can get many positive answers. In some situations, girls are predicted to have a miscarriage or premature birth.
The real risk appears between 22 and 31 weeks. Then the shooting between the legs becomes unbearable. Accompanied by spasmodic phenomena in the pubic area. Characterized by pain in the lower back. All these signs require immediate medical attention.
The main reason why there is pain between the legs during pregnancy is called excess weight. In this case, the discomfort is not too obvious, but constant. There is heaviness in the legs, not only in the groin, but also in the calf muscles.
Bone pain occurs from the expansion of the pelvic bones in preparation for childbirth. Therefore, when there is pain (even very much) between the legs during pregnancy at 30 weeks, there is no need to worry. It is enough just to see your doctor.
Heaviness and nagging pain appear. When bones, muscles and ligaments hurt between the legs during pregnancy, the limbs cannot be moved. Relief appears in a supine position.
Another reason is inflammatory processes caused by infectious diseases. Do adhesions appear in places where the infection spreads? connective tissue fusion. Located in the pelvic area, they cause pain between the legs during pregnancy. The symptom becomes unstable, sometimes sharp. Unpleasant sensations appear in the lower abdomen.
It is not difficult to understand why muscles hurt. The situation is worse with bones, since even such a common disease as arthritis is not diagnosed the first time until later. The discomfort becomes nagging and the lesion spreads throughout the leg.
Lack of vitamins during pregnancy also causes bone pain in girls. This ? a dangerous sign leading to the risk of premature birth. The pain is uncharacteristic and often occurs after a long walk. For timely diagnosis, you should pay attention to the accompanying symptoms.
Symphysitis ? pathology caused by mobility of the pubic bone, its swelling. This condition is fraught with caesarean section during childbirth or divergence of the symphysis pubis. It is characterized by acute and sharp pain when changing position in space or posture. Sometimes nagging pain is characteristic.
As soon as the discomfort becomes unbearable, sharp and acute, you should go to the hospital. A gynecologist will diagnose the disease and prescribe treatment to get rid of unpleasant symptoms.
There are two treatment options: medication and alternative. The former should only be used as directed by your doctor. Mindless consumption of painkillers will harm the health of mother and baby!
In case of symphysitis or excessive divergence of the pelvic bones, a bandage or other fixing bandages are used. They will hold your limbs in place, reducing pain and helping to avoid injury.
Doctors recognize physical exercise as a popular way to get rid of pain in the muscles between the legs. A few simple exercises, performed even in the later stages, will quickly cope with the unpleasant symptom. But they should be performed with caution.
When the cause lies in a pinched nerve or other pathologies of the nervous system, it is recommended to alternately apply a cold and warm compress to the sore spot. This will calm the limb a little and temporarily eliminate discomfort.
After walking, if acute and sharp pain occurs, it is enough to lie on your back on a flat and hard surface. Relax for a few minutes and give your body a break from excessive stress.
Have someone build a small bathtub stand. Sitting on it, you can take a warm shower. It relieves tension throughout the body, relaxes and reduces discomfort.
Engage in light self-massage: lightly stroke the skin on your stomach, between your legs, around your thighs. The pain in the muscles between the legs will subside for a while. But they cannot disappear forever, since this is? natural manifestation.
In the evening, after a hard day, take a small foot bath. Add chamomile, lemon balm, mint and calendula . The herbal decoction has a deep relaxing effect on all the muscles of the body.
Physical therapy only brings benefits, but it should be used wisely. Exercising too intensely late in life can be harmful. Try to exercise carefully, do not overwork yourself, and then the pain between your legs will subside in the later stages.
In the early stages, step exercises can help. Place a small bench or low stool in front of you, first step on it with your left foot, and then “pull up” your right. Get off in reverse order: the left one steps first, and after? the right one stretches.
It is not difficult to get rid of the symptoms, but it is better to prevent their occurrence. There are various preventative measures recommended by doctors. Their compliance? guarantee of an easy and pleasant pregnancy.
Remember these simple but useful rules:
Pain in the muscles and bones between the legs in late pregnancy? unpleasant phenomenon.
It is corrected with the help of a full-fledged treatment complex prescribed by a specialist.
Carrying a child is a wonderful process, and there are a lot of accompanying problems that are not easy to cope with. Pain in the bones between the legs is a signal of the presence of a disease.
The causes of groin pain are divided into two groups:
Depending on the week, the causes of pain between the legs are named. In the early stages - a signal of a possible miscarriage - consult a doctor. The sooner you contact, the more likely it is that the pregnancy will proceed smoothly.
In the early stages, pain is caused by the formation of the corpus luteum - which is formed in the ovary and serves as a temporary endocrine organ that produces progesterone for the normal course of pregnancy. The corpus luteum grows into a cyst and causes discomfort. And it will disappear when the placenta grows to the desired state.
If pain in the groin occurs after the 20th week, there may be malposition of the fetus, ectopic pregnancy, or multiple pregnancy. The pain is sharp and radiates to the bladder and rectum. The reason is that the baby is kicking and fighting. This pain goes away quickly. With an ectopic pregnancy, there is bloody discharge and loss of consciousness.
After 22 weeks, pain appears due to excess weight. Mothers have to endure until childbirth, vitamin B is prescribed as treatment, and the pain subsides at night. If week 32 goes well, you can breathe a sigh of relief.
After 30 weeks, at 32, 34, there are more physiological reasons for concern:
When the time to give birth approaches (34 - 40 weeks), pain in the groin becomes the norm: the hips are preparing to “release” the baby out, the bones move apart, the muscles stretch, causing pain. If your belly is large and you feel pain between your legs, expect a quick birth: the baby is moving towards the goal, hitting muscles, nerves, and bones. Because of such sensations, pregnant women waddle like ducklings - it hurts even at night.
At 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 weeks, the baby’s head begins to droop. The baby is heavy, putting pressure on the nerves and muscles. Swelling appears in the groin. If genital herpes develops, a woman will not give birth on her own and will have to undergo surgery.
Another cause of pain is compression of the sciatic nerve (sciatica); it is painful for a pregnant woman to walk, lie down, or roll over. Occurs at 35-36 weeks. The pain between the legs is sharp, spasmodic in nature. Doctors advise to be patient, everything will be fine after birth.
At 36-37 weeks, pain in the groin indicates premature birth. Pressure on the hip muscles is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness and discharge.
Polyhydramnios pregnancy is accompanied by increased blood pressure, a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, and acute pain.
Loose ligaments and varicose veins in the groin are a serious cause for concern. Depending on which part of the pregnant woman’s body is affected more than others, the following conditions are observed:
Non-chronic groin problems go away after childbirth. You will have to endure it, cope with it with the help of therapeutic exercises, classes with a professional. You cannot prescribe a course of physical exercises on your own, regardless of the week.
The doctor will perform an examination and ask about the nature of the pain. The answer determines the cause of poor health. It is impossible to do without naming the gestational age and week.
An examination is prescribed by several doctors, depending on the expected diagnosis. A surgeon, urologist, neuropathologist and dermatovenerologist are the specialists who will have to be visited. The more accurate the research picture, the sooner you will be able to bear your baby painlessly.
If the pain in the groin is physiological in nature, it is treated with therapy.
Groin pain cannot be treated on your own! Contact a doctor, after examining the expectant mother, he will take measures and give recommendations.
Helps to get rid of groin pain:
Taking painkillers, tablets and ointments is rarely prescribed - the woman in labor must remember that the well-being of the child and his health are above all. The effect of many medications on a child has not been studied; some medications (this is a scientific fact) leave traces in breast milk and participate in the development of the fetus. Before taking pain medication, consult your doctor.
It is believed that pregnant women need to take steam baths more often. The muscles and hips relax, tension in the groin decreases, and the mother’s well-being improves. This is not correct: an increase in body temperature will accelerate the outflow of blood, this is bad if varicose veins develop. This type of self-medication is not recommended.
To prevent blood flow between the legs and body from being disrupted, it is recommended to wear therapeutic underwear, compression tights, and stockings. They allow you to cope with varicose veins and prevent its possible development.
As mentioned above, you cannot regulate the treatment yourself; consult a doctor.
If you are planning a pregnancy, you will need a couple of tips to make pregnancy easier. During pregnancy, the hips and muscles are stretched, preparing for this in advance will avoid some problems.
These rules will allow you to spend your pregnancy with a smile on your face and give birth to a healthy baby.
Do not be consoled by the fact that after childbirth the pain will disappear. It happens that the bones are injured, which worsens over time, or a disease occurs. During pregnancy, see your doctor. If it hurts between your legs, don't keep silent about it.
Very often, pregnant women complain of discomfort in their legs. Most often this occurs at 5-6 months of pregnancy. During pregnancy, many physiological changes occur in a woman's body. This begs the question, why do my feet hurt during pregnancy? Is this normal or should I still pay attention?
When a woman's body carries an unborn child, sudden changes in hormonal levels occur. The hormone relaxin, characteristic of pregnant women, increases the elasticity of connective tissues. Every day a woman’s weight increases, and the strength of the tissue decreases. Also, the body retains fluid, which is necessary for the life of the fetus. Its excess remains in the lower part of the body. The fetus puts pressure on the vessels (in particular, the veins), as a result of the weakening of the connective tissues, the pressure in them drops, it is not enough to push the blood flow upward, because of this, swelling often occurs. They may be accompanied by unpleasant sensations, even pain in the lower extremities.
To prevent the elimination of pain due to swelling, you need to do special physical exercises, for example, try to raise your legs while lying on your back, at least 20 centimeters upward. Or while sitting, on occasion, do circular rotations, first with one leg, then with the other. Under no circumstances should you give up fluids, as this can harm the fetus.
Uncomfortable shoes that a pregnant woman can wear, uncut nails that grow into the toes, causes of unpleasant pain and discomfort in the feet.
Pain in the legs and heaviness can also be due to dilated veins - varicose veins. As already mentioned, the fetus has a great need for fluid, the amount of blood in the body increases significantly, putting pressure on the walls of blood vessels. They can’t cope, the veins become stretched, and the valves stop functioning normally. During pregnancy, with a diagnosis of varicose veins, pain between the legs may occur. This predisposition may occur in people who stand on their feet for a long time or are overweight.
As a preventive measure, you need to do exercises and, if possible, ride a bike. You can also wear special stockings, tights, and knee socks, which are made from special knitwear and prevent varicose veins. After childbirth, elongated veins in the form of stars and curved worms remain on the surface of the legs; they can be eliminated with the help of a special operation.
The weight of the mother’s body puts pressure on the musculoskeletal system every day; the development of the fetus is associated with heavy loads on the legs. The body constantly requires a supply of calcium, and it has more phosphorus than normal. All these factors cause cramps, unpleasant spasms, and pain in the lower extremities.
You should walk longer in the fresh air, move more and eat right, and constantly replenish your body with calcium. If cramps are clearly visible, then you need to apply something warm to your legs and give them a massage.
If you have pain between your legs during pregnancy, it could be:
We should never forget that the manifestation of pain can have a different meaning for each person. For some, everything goes away quickly, while for others, urgent intervention is needed. Remember that it is better not to self-medicate, but to consult a doctor at the first signs of alarm. After all, the expectant mother is responsible for two.
If you know the reason why it hurts between your legs during pregnancy, then you can try to lower the pain threshold:
Pregnant women should take preventative measures to prevent pain in the lower extremities:
Try to listen to yourself in time; if any pain occurs, it is better to consult a doctor. Be healthy, take care of yourself and your child in the womb.