At 35 weeks gestation, your body changes significantly. Your posture and walk change making it slightly uncomfortable for you to move about and do other activities involving movement. Along with this, you may notice some new symptoms starting to show up or you may have had them all along, but they have now become more noticeable.
Pain in the vagina is a common complaint during the last two trimesters in most pregnant women. You may feel a piercing pain from inside of your vagina all of a sudden, which may leave you motionless for a split second. This only lasts for a short while and may be caused due to different reasons; most of which are related to your advancing pregnancy.
Causes of Vaginal Pain
Weak pelvis
Some women in their last two trimesters, develop vaginal pain, because of the loosening of muscles in the pelvic floor and the pressure exerted by the growing baby on top of it. The Pelvic floor supporting the womb, vagina, and urinary bladder tends to become weak as your pregnancy progresses. The increasing weight on the uterus and lower body can lead to vaginal pain. Women may experience pressure in the vagina or pain that may radiate to the hips and pelvis.
In women, who have already given birth before, this condition can become more worse with subsequent pregnancies, because of the weakening of the pelvic floor earlier. You can do simple exercises or stretches to find some relief from the pain. Yoga or pelvic floor exercises help in strengthening the weak muscles.
Urinary Tract Infection
You may develop a UTI during the second or third trimesters. This is common to pregnancies and can be treated easily too. You may experience intense pain in the lower abdomen and vagina when you develop a bladder infection. Burning sensation or pain when urinating may also be associated with UTI. You should seek immediate treatment if you experience any of these symptoms. If a bladder infection is left untreated, it can cause complications in pregnancy.
Pressure on cervix
You may experience shooting pains down there if your baby’s head exerts pressure on the pelvic nerve. When the baby’s weight pushes onto the cervix or when it starts dilating, you may feel sharp vaginal pain. These signs indicate that pregnancy is progressing as it should be and is not a huge concern. Immersing yourself in a warm bathtub may help in taking off some pressure on your lower body. You may also do this in a pool for some relaxation.
Braxton Hicks contractions
You may experience sudden pain in your lower body, along with contractions every now and then in the second and third trimesters. These false contractions are known to occur as practice pains and help in preparing for labor. These can trigger anytime and you may feel pain and pressure in the vagina, but these will go away after some time.
Constipation
The hormonal changes can cause the muscles to relax and slow down the bowel movement. Many pregnant women suffer from constipation during pregnancy. This can lead to soreness or heaviness in the vagina. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and staying well hydrated helps in relieving this problem.
In some cases, the pain may be due to some underlying condition. If you notice any unusual symptoms along with the pain, you should seek medical advice immediately.
