As the baby continues to grow and put on weight, it may become increasingly difficult for the mother to support him or her, and she may even start experiencing pain in the hip area, health care providers say. This may cause the woman to worry, especially if it is her first pregnancy, and she has yet to experience this type of pain. Although all the normal body changes that the woman undergoes during pregnancy may be beneficial for the baby, they might not necessarily be comfortable for the mother. Most doctors would advise the woman not to worry about it because this is a common occurrence during pregnancy’s third trimester due to the hormone relaxin.
Relaxin is a hormone that helps to prepare the body for childbirth by softening the joints and ligaments. Most women will start to feel pain in their joints during their seventh or ninth month of pregnancy as the hormone relaxes the joints in preparation for childbirth. However, some women may start to feel pain as early as the second trimester or during the fourth to sixth months. As the joints relax, the growing baby puts pressure on the joints, which can cause pain. According to most women, pain in the hip area is often felt during the night when they are trying to sleep. This can disrupt a woman’s daily activities if not managed properly, as fatigue sets in when she loses sleep. Sleeping on the left side during the third trimester is advised to improve blood flow to the placenta, meaning the woman will have to stay more on her side than on her back, which will enhance the pain in the hip area.
There are a few things you can do to help ease hip pain:
Wearing a pregnancy belt may help support your back and trunk.
Sleeping with a body pillow can help keep your hips and upper body straight.
Exercising may help strengthen your hips.
Swimming or staying in water can help reduce some pressure on your hip joints.
Women need to remember that this pain is only temporary, unless they really have a joint problem such as arthritis. Even though arthritis can be extremely painful and surgery might be the only way to get rid of the pain, many people with arthritis still choose to have surgery in order to escape the pain.
At the DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit information Center, we are dedicated to helping those affected by defective hip implant devices.
