Pelvic pain 6 months pregnant is a common symptom that can affect some women as early as the first trimester. This starts to grow as you complete your second trimester and tends to get more severe toward the end of your term.
What causes pelvic pain 6 months pregnant?
As you approach six months, you may notice that the aches and cramps in your pelvis are getting slightly more uncomfortable. This is associated with a number of changes that affect women throughout their pregnancy.
Growing pains
At six months, most expecting women are already familiar with slight abdominal pains. These are mild twinges, known as accommodation pains. These help in making enough room for the baby to grow in your womb. As a result of your belly stretching, you may experience some level of pain in your lower abdomen and pelvis.
Pelvic Girdle pain
The rise in the production of hormones causes the joints and pelvic ligaments to become soft and flexible. The symphysis pubis joint begins to stretch and becomes unstable. This leads to severe pelvic pain. Know more about symphysis pubis here. It may start early in pregnancy and worsen over the last few weeks. Some women experience pain in the pelvic girdle. In order to ease pelvic pain, your doctor may suggest certain pelvic muscle strengthening exercises or pelvic support belts.
Round ligament pain
Round ligaments are stretchy bands that run from the uterus in the pelvis. You experience a sudden, sharp pull when you stand up, change your position while lying down or make any sudden movement. This can be impactful, but it lasts only a few seconds until the ligaments slowly return to their normal shape.
Constipation
It is a common complaint in pregnancy and can cause pelvic pain. This is due to the effect of hormones on the digestive tract. Also, the supplements prescribed can slow down the digestive process. You need to increase your water intake and consume more fruits and vegetables, while cutting down on processed foods.
False contractions
You may feel gripping pain in pelvic muscles, sometimes caused by Braxton Hicks contractions as your pregnancy moves forward. These are common and are usually known as practice pains. False contractions are irregular and not painful. These go away when you relax or drink water.
UTI
Sometimes, the pain you experience in your pelvic region or abdomen could be due to a urinary tract infection. If you experience pain after urinating, you should see your doctor. If the condition goes untreated, it can get severe and cause other issues.
