Back pain during pregnancy

By trimester

Weeks 1–13

1st trimester

Early back pain usually comes from your shifting weight and loosening pelvic ligaments. Basic core and glute strengthening, plus posture awareness, help.

Weeks 14–27

2nd trimester

Your growing belly tilts the pelvis and increases the curve in your lower back. Prenatal yoga, swimming, and pelvic-floor physical therapy have the best evidence behind them.

Weeks 28–birth

3rd trimester

See our third-trimester back-pain guide. Extra weight and a shifted center of gravity are the main drivers now.

What does the evidence show for back pain?

• Back pain is one of the most common pregnancy complaints, driven mainly by postural changes, loosening ligaments, and shifting weight. 1
• Supportive low-heeled shoes, avoiding heavy lifting, side-sleeping with a pillow between the knees, and staying active with pregnancy-safe exercise are the standard first steps. 1
• Staying moderately active throughout pregnancy helps with overall comfort and lowers how often back pain shows up. 2
• Acetaminophen, at the lowest dose that helps for the shortest time needed, is considered an appropriate option for this kind of pain. 3
• New leg weakness or numbness, saddle numbness, new trouble starting urination or bladder or bowel control, fever with focal spine tenderness, or back pain after significant trauma are red flags that can point to nerve compression, infection, or fracture rather than ordinary mechanical back pain. 4

When should I call my provider about back pain?

Most pregnancy back pain is muscular, but a few patterns point to something needing urgent care. Call the same day for new numbness or weakness in one or both legs, saddle numbness, or new trouble starting urination or controlling your bladder or bowels, since that combination can signal pressure on the nerves at the base of the spine. Fever alongside back pain, especially with focal tenderness over the spine, or back pain following a significant fall or injury, also belongs in the same-day category rather than a wait-and-see approach. None of these lists replace your own judgment: if this symptom worries you, that on its own is enough reason to check in with your healthcare provider.