Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy: Causes & Relief

Question
I am 32, with 1 daughter currently that is 12 yrs old.  This is my 5th pregnancy but only 2nd successfull (so far going to be) full term pregnancy.  My technical due date is June 29, 2004, but have been dealing with pre-term labor for the last month.  My question is... aches and pains are normal (even though I am a BIG BABY!), however, the front of my pelvic bone and clear down into the vaginal area has been aching beyond what tylonol even seems to help.  Is this normal and is this part of labor?  What is actually happening?  The pains have been going on since my pre-term labor started about a month ago.

Answer
It is possible that you have a "separation of your pubic bone". The pubic bone actually is comprised of three bones. During late pregnahcy, these bones separate slightly and cause terrible pain. Sometimes a man's belt tightly cinched up around your pubic area will help. Often, you will have to take a one-shot X-ray to diagnose the problem. There is nothing to do except take analgesics. If Tylenol is ineffective, you may need some Tylenol with codeine. Speak to your obstetrician about this. It is a common occurrence. Godo luck. I would also suggest that you drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration which is the primary cause of preterm labor.