Pregnancy Health Center
baby graphic


Back Pain And Leg Cramps

In the second and third trimesters, your baby's growth may add pressure to your uterus and pelvis. Your elevated estrogen levels also cause your ligaments to loosen. This can lead to cramps and back pain. Since leg cramps may be a sign that you need more calcium or potassium in your diet, try eating healthy foods that contain these nutrients. A glass of calcium-enriched orange juice may do the trick. If you do lots of sitting during the day, be sure to take breaks and stretch. If you stand for long periods of time, wearing support hose may be beneficial.

To keep back pain to a minimum, notice the ways you sit, stand, and move, and see if there are ways to lessen the burden on your back. When lifting, be sure to bend at the knees, not the waist, and then lift with your legs, not with your back. For sleeping, try laying on your side with your knees bent and a pillow placed in between them. Place another pillow under your abdomen. This should help to lessen your lower back pain.

If you have pain or swelling in one leg more than the other, if your swelling abruptly worsens, or if your back pain comes and goes and feels like menstrual cramps, contact your health care provider.


Review Date: 12/9/2012
Reviewed By: Irina Burd, MD, PhD, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- adam.comAll rights reserved.
A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.