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Discomfort in abdomen during pregnancy
Hip pain in pregnancy
Pulling sensation in abdomen
Lower abdominal pain
Pain around belly button
Pain resembles labor
Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy
Water broke
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
This condition occurs during pregnancy, particularly in the second trimester, when women experience sharp pain in the groin or lower abdominal area. It is caused by the stretching of the round ligament, which supports the growing uterus during pregnancy.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
Round ligament pain can be treated with stretching exercises. Warm compresses or a hot bath may also help. In severe cases, painkillers can be taken with a doctor's advice.
Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN))
Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.
Content updated on Feb 3, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Q.
Persistent Pain? Why Your Female Anatomy Hurts & Medical Next Steps
A.
Persistent pelvic, abdominal, vulvar, or breast pain can stem from menstrual issues, endometriosis, ovarian cysts or fibroids, infections like PID or UTIs, pelvic floor dysfunction, pregnancy ligament strain, or GI conditions; pain that lasts weeks or disrupts daily life should be assessed. Next steps include tracking symptoms and seeing a clinician for a pelvic exam, labs, STI testing, and imaging, with treatments ranging from NSAIDs and hormonal therapy to pelvic floor physical therapy or surgery. Seek urgent care now for sudden severe pain, heavy bleeding, fever, fainting, or pregnancy red flags. There are several factors to consider that could change your plan, see the complete guidance below.
References:
* Bartley EJ, Fillingim RB. Sex differences in chronic pain: what are the biological and clinical implications? Br J Anaesth. 2013 Jul;111(1):52-8. doi: 10.1093/bja/aet125. PMID: 23794406; PMCID: PMC3682970.
* ACOG Committee Opinion No. 710: Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Sep;130(3):e133-e138. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002231. PMID: 28837689.
* Ji Y, Zhao Y, Wang C, Wang J, Shi Z. The Role of Sex Hormones in Pain. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 May 26;12:685208. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.685208. PMID: 34122329; PMCID: PMC8187259.
* Mechsner S, Weigel MT, Viereck V, Strehlau E. Mechanisms of Pain in Endometriosis. Pain Ther. 2021 Jun;10(1):153-163. doi: 10.1007/s40122-021-00244-z. Epub 2021 Mar 4. PMID: 33665796; PMCID: PMC8130880.
* Khandpur S, Handa Y, Al-Hammadi M, Sethuraman G, Malhotra R. Vulvodynia: A Clinical Review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2022 Dec;12(12):2667-2680. doi: 10.1007/s13555-022-00833-2. Epub 2022 Oct 19. PMID: 36261882; PMCID: PMC9676739.
Q.
Sharp Pelvic Pain? Why Your Round Ligament Pulls & Medical Relief Steps
A.
Sharp, brief lower belly or groin pain in pregnancy is often round ligament pain caused by stretching and quick tightening of the ligaments that support the uterus; it is common, usually harmless, and often triggered by sudden movement. Relief can come from moving more slowly, gentle prenatal stretching, a support belt, rest, warm compresses, and provider approved acetaminophen, but there are several factors to consider and specific warning signs that need urgent care; see below for red flags, look alike conditions, and step by step guidance that may change your next steps.
References:
* Mirilas P, Skandalakis JE. Anatomy, abdomen and pelvis, uterine round ligament. Clin Anat. 2004 Mar;17(2):166-71. doi: 10.1002/ca.10189. PMID: 14755711.
* Balakrishnan S, Cheon EC. Musculoskeletal pain in pregnancy: management and implications for childbirth. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Aug;32(4):247-252. doi: 10.1097/GCO.0000000000000630. PMID: 32661334.
* Triche EV, et al. Acute pelvic pain in pregnancy. Semin Perinatol. 2018 Apr;42(2):107-118. doi: 10.1053/j.semperin.2018.02.007. PMID: 29555184.
* Verstraete EH, et al. The effectiveness of exercise interventions for preventing and treating pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy and postpartum: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2018 Apr;54(2):243-259. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.17.04940-2. Epub 2017 Dec 20. PMID: 29260790.
* Van den Heuvel H, et al. Sharp abdominal pain during pregnancy - A diagnostic approach. Minerva Obstet Gynecol. 2023 Feb;75(1):72-82. doi: 10.23736/S2724-606X.22.05141-8. Epub 2022 Nov 24. PMID: 36420556.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1Chaudhry SR, Chaudhry K. Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Uterus Round Ligament. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499970/Pietro P, Adele MM, Donatella DF, Antonino C, Pietro A, Emanuele S, Alfredo B, Giorgio A, Carmelo S. Spontaneous round ligament hematoma as an unusual cause of pelvic pain in a young female patient: MRI demonstration. Radiol Case Rep. 2022 Mar 25;17(5):1765-1769. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2022.02.079. Erratum in: Radiol Case Rep. 2022 Jul 08;17(9):3446. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2022.06.023. PMID: 35355531; PMCID: PMC8958461.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8958461/Soumya Cicilet, Acute groin pain in pregnancy: a case of round ligament varicocele, BJR|Case Reports, Volume 3, Issue 3, 1 September 2017, 20150517
https://academic.oup.com/bjrcr/article/3/3/20150517/7244291