How Your Body Changes During Pregnancy
A woman’s body undergoes many transformations during the nine months of pregnancy. Some of these changes are visible, such as an expanding belly, while others are well known, such as morning sickness and backaches. However, a few body changes may be unexpected and catch some women by surprise.
During pregnancy, the hormone relaxin is produced to help loosen the joints and ligaments of the pelvis, preparing for the birth process. Relaxin relaxes ligaments in the pelvis, but it also stretches the joints and ligaments all over the body. This is one reason women develop back pain or sciatica (pain that starts in the back and travels down the leg into the foot). As the ligaments become looser and the center of gravity is pulled forward due to the growing baby, a woman’s low back, or lumbar spine, can become over-stressed and painful due to these changes in biomechanics. Pregnant women can benefit from chiropractic adjustments to alleviate these symptoms. Visit iCare Chiropractic if you need more information.
- Relaxin is a hormone produced during pregnancy to relax the joints and ligaments to prepare the pelvis for birth.
- All of the other joints and ligaments of the body also become “looser” due to relaxin, which changes their movement patterns.
- These changes, while welcomed, often result in low back pain and other joint pains
throughout pregnancy.
Science Sources:
- Back Pain in Pregnancy. University of Rochester Medical Center
- Optimizing pain relief during pregnancy using manual therapy. Canadian Family Physician. 2013
- Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2018
- NSAID Use During Pregnancy Linked to Pulmonary Hypertension In Newborns. Pharmacy Today. 2001
- Safe, Healthy Birth: What Every Pregnant Woman Needs to Know. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 2009
