Berkeley Parents Network: Pelvic and Pubic Bone Pain during Pregnancy

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Pelvic and Pubic Bone Pain during Pregnancy

Berkeley Parents Network > Advice > Pregnancy & Childbirth > Pelvic and Pubic Bone Pain during Pregnancy

Near-constant pelvic pain on the public bone
Terrible pelvic and groin pain in week 24
More Advice about Pain During Pregnancy

Near-constant pelvic pain on the public bone

March 2006

I'm about 20 weeks into my second pregnancy and have been experiencing near-constant pelvic pain, especially on the pubic bone. It's not so intense that I can't go about most of my usual routine but it's still bothersome. I talked to my doctor about it, who kind of shrugged it off as ''one of those pregnancy things'' (absent other symptoms). I also experienced this with my first pregnancy but it wasn't as intense or long-lasting. Any advice on how to relieve the pain or specific activities to avoid so as not to make it worse? (is walking good or bad? I'm not clear.) I'm trying to rest more and avoid squatting and picking up my 2-yr-old, but would appreciate other remedies and suggestions. thanks!

I experienced some serious discomfort in my pelvic area during the last month or two of my pregnancy. It would generally happen while I was walking and felt like a deep shooting pain. My midwife and chiropractor both said it was from cartilage softening in that area due to increased levels of the ''relaxin'' (sp?) hormone that kicks in during pregnancy. I found that limiting my walking and wearing a pregnancy support belt both helped. I swam for exercise instead. anon

From your brief description, I'm guessing you may have symphysis pubis dysfunction, or separation at the joint in the middle of the pubic bone. If the pain is focused in the center of the pubic bone and it hurts when you straddle your legs, this is probably what you have. I had this problem with my pregnancy and I got a lot of relief by altering my activities. I stopped standing on one leg (e.g., while putting on pants I sat down), tried to eliminate all lateral and straddle movements with my legs, and tried to keep my legs together (e.g., when getting in the car I sat on the seat first then moved both of my legs together into the car). I was also careful to keep my legs together when rolling over in bed and avoided any exercise that hurt my pelvis or involved separating my legs (e.g., sideways shuffling and breaststroke). Some women feel chiropractic care helps them and I did see a chiropractor who specializes in treating pregnant women, but it was unclear if it helped. shellieontheweb@yahoo.com

Pubic bone pain at twenty weeks gestation is unusal. At his point in pregnancy, your ligaments (which connect bone to bone, and are responsible for joint stability) have not softened or stretched that much. So instability at the pubis, which is most often associated with late pregnancy and postpartum, though possible, is unlikely.

From my experience, many people mistake groin pain for pubic pain. If your pubic bone is unstable, you will feel pain directly on the center of the joint, right in the middle, where the two bones connect. Groin pain is more commonly felt just off to one side. And groin pulls/injuries are notoriously slow to heal.

I'd suggest that you see a specialist, either a PT or chiropractor who specializes in pregnancy, to sort out what is actually going on in your body. You shouldn't have to suffer with this level of discomfort at only 20 weeks. Dr. Elon Bartlett in Berkeley is a good choice.

As for what to do and not to do...

Avoid picking up all heavy objects. When your toddler needs to cuddle up, sit down in a chair, and then have her climb up onto your lap.

Always sit in a neutral spine position, with lower back support, thighs parallel to the floor, knees bent at a right angle, both feet flat on the floor.

Avoid all sitting positions that bend or twist your pelvis and spine. Do no try to stretch the area to relieve pain. Unstable joints should never be stretched.

To relieve flare-ups, use an ice pack for 10 - 15 minutes, to reduce inflammation. When using ice, always wrap the ice pack in a thin towel or other material. Never place an ice pack directly in contact with skin.

For more in depth advice on pelvic pain during pregnancy, consult my web site: www.befitmom.com. Click on Prenatal and Postpartum Fitness and Exercise, select Common Pregnancy Discomforts, and then click on Pelvis. Helene Byrne, BeFit-Mom

I am at exactly the same stage of pregnancy as you (due mid July) and it's also my second pregnancy... and I had pelvic pain starting at 13 weeks this time. Same spot as last time (in the back, just to the left of the tailbone) but much, much earlier. Like you, my doctor was dismissive of it as ''just part of being pregnant'' and wouldn't refer me to anyone else who could have helped.

You don't say where your pelvic pain is (in the front? in the back?) but chances are it is loosening ligaments, which is definitely a pregnancy thing. Mine is in the sacro-iliac joint. I don't know about what you can do if it's in the front (symphesis pubis - maybe try googling it?) but for me a couple of things helped for the SI joint pain. I sleep with a much thicker pillow between my knees or under my knee... I think that did the most good. There is also an exercise my yoga teacher showed me involving lying on your side with the painful side up, top leg a little forward, and having your partner gently pull on your leg on your exhale, and release on your inhale. I think this also helped a bit. Between those two things my pelvic pain is really manageable now.

Aside from that, a hot pad kind of worked when it was really painful. People recommended massage but I didn't pursue that. anon

I would like to suggest that you see a chiropractor and/or a massage therapist. You very possibly have weakness/tightness in your pelvic floor muscles which can cause the kind of pain you describe. I can recommend a chiropractor who works with pregnant women and newborns. His name is Elon Bartlett.His office number is 510 843- 1234. I'm a massage therapist (I work with Elon) and I understand the muscles and mechanisms of the pelvic floor muscles. In truth,I've never had a pregnant client with your complaint (though I''ve had many pregnant clients) but i''ve had non- pregnant people with similar complaints. I have experience in exercising the pelvic floor muscles and can show you how to strengthen them (a must during pregnancy and esp. after delivery. My office number is same as Dr. Bartletts. I would also suggest, if not me, that you see a massage therapist who is experienced with pregnancy massage. It may be ''one of those pregnancy pains'' but is definately not something you have to live with. Good luck. June

Terrible pelvic and groin pain in week 24

Jan 2005

I am now 36 weeks pregnant.Starting in about week 24 I have had terrible pelvic and groin pain.I am not able to walk half a block w/o feeling a ripping sensation in my pelvis and groin. The pain became more intense as my belly grew. Now I'm a total mess. Together with this I have been having braxton hicks contractions, fairly strong and painful also starting around week 24. I've been told by my OB that what I've been experiencing is round ligament pain along with early and apparently nonproductive contractions.By the way,(kienahora) everythings is fine with the baby. I was just wondering if anyone out their went through something comparable? Lynne

I can so relate! Go buy a belly support belt today. It has saved me. If you can, go to Fashion after Passion on Webster St. in alameda - the belts are about $10 and come in all different sizes. They will make sure you get the right size. I am about 36 weeks and bought the belt about 2 months ago. I wish I had bought it sooner. It does not make the pain go away totally, but I don't (can't) go on walks without it. Good luck

I had severe pelvic pain, starting at 6-1/2 months. I got disabled plates from my GYN, and used a wheelchair when I had to walk more than half a block. It lasted until the day before the birth, when the baby moved. Feldenkrais helped, as did removing prescribed shoe arch supports. Today I'd try chiropractic or energy healing, in the same situation. Good luck. anon

I have a 6-week-old baby and experienced the same sort of pelvic pain. It was really awful, particularly rolling over/getting out of bed. I also could not walk comfortably by the last month or so. The only thing that helped while I was pregnant was not being too active, which is not the best solution, but the only thing that worked for me. On the plus side, most of the pain went away as soon as I gave birth. I have noticed pain as I have begun to exercise again, but nothing like before. I am planning to go to a physical therapist who specializes in women for a post-partum appointment. Ask your OB for a referral. As an aside, most people including my OB did not seem to understand the level of pain this can cause. It is not the same as the round ligament pain I felt at other times in my pregnancy and it was ! so bad it brought me to tears at times. Hang in there and good luck! Miranda

I had very similar experiences with both of my pregnancies. I had tons of groin and pelvic pain. It was especially painful when changing positions (sitting up from lying down, standing up from sitting, etc). It did get progressively worse as my pregnancy went along. It also got so bad that when I moved, you could actually hear popping and grinding noises from my pelvic bone. My doctor assured me that this was normal round ligament pain and that my pelvis was just ''loosening up'' in preparation for birth. She said that it was a similar feeling to someone who has broken their pelvis. Anyhow, the pain was gone as soon as I delivered both times. In my situation, I had VERY large babies - 9.13 and 10lbs. Both delivered vaginally and naturally. I assume this is why there was so much pressure and pain! on my pelvis. Hopefully that doesn't scare you if this is your first child :o) But, if it helps, they were both easy deliveries. Sympathetic

Hello, I had similar groin pain while I walked. I felt it the worst when I tried to turn while I slept. The pain was so sharp I would wake up in tears. A physical therapist recommended that i wear a special belt around my hip when it hurt. I only wore it at nighttime. After a few weeks, the pain went away. It only recurs when I exercise and do a lot of squats or other hip flexing exercises. I highly recommend Dawn Loretz, a physical therapist. She provides pre-natal exercises once a week. Good luck, -Almost done with my pregnancy!

I feel (er, felt?) your pain! I too had terrible ligament pain during both my pregnancies: toward the end of the first, and then starting just 12 weeks into my second. At night, I was waking my husband up crying out with the pain in my sleep when I tried to roll over--it felt like my pelvic bones were coming apart at the seams; during the day I could barely walk. By my 4th month my OBGYN suggested I wear a maternity belt to take some of the weight off my pelvis and this helped tremendously. I couldn't go an hour without it, once up out of bed for the day, without feeling the strain. You can get one at Cotton and Company on College Ave., where they were very helpful in fitting me with one. There are a couple different kinds, but I settled on the least expensive, a simple band of cotton and elastic that wraps around under your belly with velcro straps. I also found sleeping with a pregnancy body pillow very helpful at night. Unfortunately the only cure for this is giving birth--your hormones are prepping your body to be more limber to facilitate delivery. It does go away afterwards, so chin up: it's a temporary inconvenience. Good luck! anon

I had terrible pelvic pain in all three of my pregnancies. It was just my pattern of pregnancy. In my case it was separation of the symphysys pubis joint (where the pelvis joins in the front.) I also had problems with the back of the pelvis separating (sacro iliac joint) earlier in pregnancy, but it was the p.s. pain that I remember the most. (I'm writing these names because unless you are really specific about where it hurts, your issue will get brushed off as round ligament pain, which it probably is not.) Turning over in bed was out of the question & those many, many trips to the bathroom were torture. I remember crying and gripping the wall as I walked the 10 feet to the bathroom. Physical Therapy was the only thing that helped and that was just so-so. I coped with an occasional Tylenol PM, but never found complete relief. Childbirth was the magical cure in all three cases, and I mean magical. The pain was instantly gone.

The suggestion about getting a disabled licence placard for your car is an excellent one and I wish I'd thought of that for myself! Another friend with the same issue says now that she wishes she had just worn Depends to bed. I think she's kidding but I'm sure you can relate to that sounding like a good option at this point. Good luck. been there

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