Why Your Back Hurts During Pregnancy

Don’t Let Back Pain Weigh You Down During Pregnancy

By Jarrett Kruse

Back pain is a common complaint during pregnancy, especially lower back pain. Causes of back pain during pregnancy include hormonal changes and weight gain. carrying extra weight is among the general causes of back pain for most people, but the back pain pregnancy brings can be more acute than an average back ache because the weight gain is so concentrated in the abdomen and intensely affects the lower back. Upper back pain, however. Lower and upper back pain frequently cause discomfort at night and many women complain of insomnia during pregnancy.

Back aches frequently accompany pregnancy, and many times it increases as pregnancy progresses and the pregnant woman gains more weight. Carrying extra weight around is a common cause of any back pain, but there are other factors that can cause back pain during pregnancy. Some of the other common factors that may cause back pain during your pregnancy are:

Hormonal surges. Women experience an increase in hormones released during pregnancy, which prepare the body for the birthing process by loosening joints and softening ligaments in the pelvic area. While this phenomenon eases the birthing process, it removes some of the natural support your body gets for the lower back.
Change in your center of gravity. As the uterus expands and grows, your center of gravity moved forward, changing your posture. That can put strain on your muscles and joints as you adjust.
Stress – Weight gain can stress your posture, making it more difficult to stand or sit for long periods of time. Also, emotional stress usually finds the weak spot in the body, and with the weakening of pelvic joints and ligaments, you may experience an increase in back pain during stressful periods of your pregnancy.

Your doctor or prenatal healthcare provider can prescribe medication, exercises, or proper treatment so you don’t have to let your back pain weigh you down.