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This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Registry Builder New. Round Ligament Pain During Pregnancy. Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Wu, M. Medical Review Policy All What to Expect content that addresses health or safety is medically reviewed by a team of vetted health professionals. Getty Images. Find out what causes round ligament pain — and what you can do to feel better.
Back to Top. In This Article. It almost never starts before the 12th week of pregnancy. And exactly where do you feel round ligament pain? It typically feels like a throbbing, pulling, aching or shooting pain that runs from the side of your mid-abdomen and radiates down into your groin. Strenuous activity—or lots of movement—can also contribute to round ligament pain, so you may need to slow down for a while. The good news is that round ligament pain is fairly short lived, both in terms of how long each episode lasts and how long it continues during your pregnancy.
The intermittent pain will also generally ease up a few weeks after it begins: It typically starts around 12 to 14 weeks as your bump starts to make its way out of the uterus, and then goes away by 16 weeks, although sometimes the pain will last a little longer. First of all, stop doing whatever the activity was that provoked the pain. If you were working out, it might be time to ease up.
If you were getting out of bed, try rolling over and pushing up with your arms. Even bending over when you sneeze can help, Phillips says. Pay close attention to how your body feels and ask yourself a few questions: Does something seem to be triggering the pain?
Is it continuous or periodic? Abdominal pain can be indicative of other pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia , placenta abruption or preterm labor.
It could also be a symptom of something entirely unrelated to pregnancy, such as appendicitis. Frederick Friedman, Jr. Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
How to Recognize the Signs of Labor. Other triggers for round ligament pain include:. But you can make adjustments to ease your discomfort once you identify activities that cause you pain. There are no specific tests to diagnose round ligament pain. In most cases, your doctor can diagnose round ligament pain based on a description of your symptoms. These include:.
Round ligament pain occurs in the lower abdomen, so you may think that any pain you feel in this region is due to stretching ligaments. Severe stomach pain during pregnancy might occur for a number of reasons, including placental abruption.
Other illnesses that can cause lower stomach pain include appendicitis, a hernia, and problems with your liver or kidneys. In the case of severe pain, your doctor may need to rule out preterm labor. Preterm labor can feel like round ligament pain. But unlike round ligament pain which stops after a couple of minutes, preterm labor pain continues. Making adjustments to avoid sudden movements is one way to reduce pain. Wearing a maternity belt may also remedy round ligament pain. These abdominal support garments are worn underneath your clothes.
The belts help support your bump and can relieve the pain and pressure that results from a growing stomach. Not only can a maternity belt provide relief for round ligament pain, it also helps relieve:. But once you start experiencing pain, you can take steps to ease discomfort. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals.
We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Devarajan S and Chandraharan E.
Abdominal pain in pregnancy: A rational approach to management. Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine 21 7 Gray H. Anatomy of the Human Body. New York, NY: Bartleby. Mayo Clinic. Round ligament pain: Understanding this pregnancy complaint.
Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of early pregnancy. Join now to personalize.
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