Pregnancy, Round Ligament Pain

Pregnancy, Round Ligament Pain Overview

Abdominal pain during pregnancy is common. Most often it is a result of round ligament pain. Round ligament pain is due to normal changes that take place as your body is transformed by pregnancy. There are other, abnormal, treatable causes of pain that your health care provider may want to check. Therefore, any new or significant pain should be reported to your doctor.

Pregnancy, Round Ligament Pain Causes

Round ligament pain refers to a type of pelvic pain caused by stretching of the round ligaments. This occurs more commonly on the right side of the pelvis.

Your uterus is normally the size of a pear. Thick ligaments, one of which is called the round ligament, hold your uterus in suspension within your abdomen. As the uterus grows in size and weight, these ligaments become very long and thin, stressing and tensing like rubber bands.

The ligaments pull and tug on nearby nerve fibers and sensitive structures, causing pain. The severity of pain can worry you. Although round ligament pain is uncomfortable, it is also very normal.

A ligament spasm, an involuntary contraction or cramp, usually triggers a sharp pain. These spasms are found more frequently on the right side than the left because of the normal tendency of the uterus to turn to the right.

You might awaken at night with pain after having suddenly rolled over in your sleep.

The pain may also be brought on by exercise.

Pregnancy, Round Ligament Pain Symptoms

Pain from stretching uterine ligaments can be severe and can be confused with causes outside your pregnancy. Pregnant women often feel acute abdominal pain when the cause is something more serious, such as the following:

Appendicitis - An inflammation of the appendix located in your right lower abdomen. You initially have poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever, and, as the inflammation progresses, worsening pain. As you move further along in your pregnancy, the pain from appendicitis will be felt in the upper abdomen instead on the lower abdomen because of your growing uterus.
Pain in ovaries or cysts. The ovary located in this area may twist, or a cyst may rupture, causing sudden severe abdominal pain. The pain may also indicate a ruptured ovarian cyst.
Abnormal growths in the abdominal area
Cramps because of slow digestion caused by pregnancy (These occur in the ascending colon and cecum, located in the right lower part of your abdomen.)

When to Seek Medical Care

Describe your pain, and any other symptoms, to your health care provider, who will assess whether to send you to a hospital’s emergency department. Do not hesitate to seek emergency care if any of the following symptoms occur.