Groin and Pelvic Pain in Pregnancy: Causes and Relief

Q: What causes groin pain in pregnancy?

Usually round ligament pain, where ligaments supporting the womb stretch and give sharp twinges, or pelvic girdle pain, a deeper ache from the pelvic joints loosening under the hormone relaxin. Both are common and harmless.

Women undergo many different problems during their pregnancy. Pain in the groin is one such problem that pregnant women often experience.

Pregnancy has a real talent for finding aches in places you didn’t know could ache, and the groin is a prime example. A sharp twinge when you roll over in bed, a dull soreness deep in the pelvis, a jolt when you stand up too quickly: groin pain is common, usually harmless, and almost never discussed at prenatal coffee mornings. Here’s what’s behind it, how to ease it, and when it’s worth a mention to your doctor.

Groin and pelvic pain in pregnancy is common. It’s usually round ligament pain (sharp twinges from the ligaments stretching to support your growing bump) or pelvic girdle pain (a deeper ache from loosened pelvic joints). Both are harmless, if uncomfortable, and respond to gentle movement, support and pacing. See a doctor if the pain is severe, one-sided and constant, or comes with fever, bleeding or urinary symptoms.

Moving slowly is the theme. Your pelvis has quietly become a less stable structure, and it appreciates being treated as one.

The two usual culprits

Most pregnancy groin pain falls into one of two camps:

Round ligament pain. Two ligaments run from the womb down into the groin, and as your bump grows they stretch and thicken. A sudden movement, standing, coughing, sneezing, or turning over in bed, can tug them and produce a sharp, brief twinge low down on one or both sides. It’s startling but short-lived, and most common in the second trimester.
Pelvic girdle pain (sometimes called SPD). The hormone relaxin loosens the pelvic joints to prepare for birth, and for some women that looseness causes a deeper, grinding ache across the front of the pelvis, the groin, or the pubic bone. It tends to bite when you walk, climb stairs, get out of a car, or part your legs, and it can build as pregnancy goes on.

Neither harms your baby. Both are your pelvis adapting, somewhat ungracefully, to the job ahead.

How to ease it

Move slowly and evenly. Change position gently, and turn over in bed in one smooth movement, keeping your knees together, to spare the ligaments and joints.
Keep your legs together when getting in and out of a car or bed. Swivel as one unit rather than parting your legs.
Pace yourself. Break up standing and walking, and rest before the ache builds rather than after.
Support the area. A maternity support belt can steady a loose pelvis, and a pillow between your knees at night helps.
Use warmth on the sore spot, and try a warm bath to relax the muscles.
Strengthen gently. Pelvic floor and gentle core exercises, or a referral to a women’s health physiotherapist, really help pelvic girdle pain. Ask your doctor.
Avoid the aggravators: heavy lifting, deep squats, standing on one leg to dress, and anything that parts your legs against resistance.

It also helps to plan the small movements that catch you out. Sit down to put on trousers, socks and shoes rather than standing on one leg, take stairs one at a time or a step at a time if needed, and avoid pushing heavy trolleys or hoovering, which strain the pelvis. None of this is forever; it is a few months of moving a little more thoughtfully while your body is carrying and loosening at the same time.

When to see a doctor

Ordinary round ligament and pelvic pain is manageable, but check in with your doctor or midwife if:

The pain is severe, constant, or steadily worsening, rather than the brief twinges of ligament pain.
It’s one-sided and persistent, especially early in pregnancy, which needs ruling out of other causes.
It comes with a fever, or burning and frequency when you pass urine, which can point to a urinary infection.
There’s vaginal bleeding, unusual discharge, or rhythmic tightening across the bump.
Pelvic girdle pain is severe enough to limit walking or daily life, in which case a referral to a physiotherapist can make a real difference.

None of this is meant to alarm you; it’s the short list that separates a stretched ligament from something that wants a closer look. Groin pain tends to travel with the other aches of a growing bump, so it helps to know what ordinary pregnancy back pain feels like too.

Common questions

What causes groin pain in pregnancy?

Usually one of two things: round ligament pain, where ligaments supporting the womb stretch and give sharp twinges, or pelvic girdle pain, a deeper ache from the pelvic joints loosening under the hormone relaxin. Both are common and harmless.

Is groin pain in pregnancy normal?

Yes, it’s very common and usually a sign of your pelvis adapting to the growing bump. It doesn’t harm the baby. See a doctor if it’s severe, constant, one-sided, or comes with fever, bleeding or urinary symptoms.

How can I relieve pelvic and groin pain when pregnant?

Move slowly, keep your legs together when turning in bed or getting out of a car, pace your standing and walking, use a support belt and warmth, and ask about a women’s health physiotherapist for pelvic girdle pain.

What is SPD in pregnancy?

SPD, or pelvic girdle pain, is pain from the loosened joints of the pelvis, often felt at the front over the pubic bone and into the groin. It can worsen with walking or parting your legs, and a physiotherapist can help manage it.

When should groin pain be checked by a doctor?

If it’s severe, constant or worsening, one-sided and persistent, or comes with fever, burning urine, bleeding or rhythmic tightening, or if it’s limiting your ability to walk and function.

The short version

Groin pain in pregnancy is almost always your ligaments stretching or your pelvic joints loosening, both a normal, if uncomfortable, part of making room for a baby. Move slowly, keep your knees together, pace yourself, and lean on support and warmth, and don’t tough out pelvic girdle pain when a physiotherapist could help. Keep the warning signs in view, and otherwise treat your pelvis with the patience of a structure quietly doing something extraordinary.