Groin Pain During Pregnancy: Causes & Relief - 37 Weeks

Question
i am about 37 weeks into my pregnancy.. i am nineteen years old with no std's and no medical problems in my family history nor on my husbands side... i've been having soreness around my groin area.. i wanted to know what that meant. this is my 2nd child and didnt experience this pain with my first baby.. is this ok??

Answer
Dear Teresa,

Groin pain is common discomfort of pregnancy - especially during the 2nd trimester. There are two physical changes that occur with pregnancy that can cause this. The first, and most common, cause is round ligament pain.

Round ligament pain generally refers to a brief, sharp, stabbing pain or a longer-lasting dull ache that pregnant women commonly feel in the lower abdomen or groin, starting in the second trimester.

You may feel round ligament pain as a short jabbing sensation if you suddenly change position, such as when you're getting out of bed or out of a chair or when you cough, roll over in bed, or get out of the bathtub. You may feel it as a dull ache after a particularly active day - when you've been walking a lot or doing some other physical activity.

The round ligaments surround your uterus in your pelvis. As your uterus grows during pregnancy, the ligaments stretch out to accommodate and support it. These changes can occasionally cause pain on one or both sides of your abdomen. You may also feel the pain starting from deep inside your groin, and can move upward and outward on either side to the top of your hips. The pain is internal, but if you were to trace it on your skin, it would often follow the bikini line on a very high-cut bathing suit.

Another physical change that happens during the latter weeks of pregnancy is that the pelvic bones begin to separate in preparation for delivery. Your pelvis is a kind of a circular bone that goes all around and almost meets in the middle in front. The two sides do not quite touch; there is a small gap between them connected by fibrocartilaginous tissue reinforced by several ligaments. This area is called the Pubic Symphysis.  This is important for helping your pubic bone to move freely, stabilizing the pelvis while allowing a good range of motion. When pregnant, the flexibility of this joint allows the bones to move freely and to expand to help a baby fit through more easily during birth. In fact, the pregnancy hormones relaxin and progesterone help the ligaments of your body to loosen and be even MORE flexible than before, so that there is plenty of "give" and lots of room for the baby to slip right through. Because of these hormones, it is normal for there to be some extra looseness and pelvic pressure in pregnancy. For some women, this pelvic pressure is more pronounced than for others. This discomfort often shows up around 30 weeks and is the cause of the pregnant waddle many women have.

Whether the pain is due to the round ligament stretching or the pelvic bones separating a bit or both, it is probably one of those discomforts of pregnancy that we simply must endure in the final weeks. But again, do note the discomfort to your doctor at your next visit.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda