Body Aches During Pregnancy

By trimester

Weeks 1–13

1st trimester

Achy, run-down days are common in early pregnancy even without being sick, thanks to rising hormones and disrupted sleep. Sharp round ligament pain is rare this early since your uterus is still small. If aches show up with a fever or chills, call your provider the same day, since flu and other infections carry higher risks starting in the first trimester.

Weeks 14–27

2nd trimester

This is when stretching aches usually ramp up, as your growing uterus pulls on the round ligaments and lower back. A quick jab when you stand up fast or roll over is almost always this stretching, not illness. Aches paired with a fever, a sore throat, or a cough point toward a virus instead, and are worth a same-day call.

Weeks 28–birth

3rd trimester

Extra weight and looser pelvic joints make aches in your back, hips, and pelvis the most common cause now. Rhythmic or lower-back pain that comes in waves can also signal preterm labor, so mention any new pattern to your provider. If body aches show up with a fever this late in pregnancy, call the same day, since flu and other infections carry higher risks in the third trimester too.

What does the evidence show for body aches?

• Muscle or body aches are one of the classic flu symptoms, showing up alongside fever, chills, a cough, and a sore throat. 1
• Body aches are also a recognized COVID-19 symptom, often paired with fever, fatigue, and a cough. 2
• Flu during pregnancy is more likely to land you in the hospital than flu outside of pregnancy, so call your provider right away if aches come with fever or other flu symptoms. 3
• Everyday pregnancy aches usually come from a hormone that loosens your pelvic ligaments, plus a growing belly that shifts your posture and center of gravity. 4
• Acetaminophen at the lowest dose that helps is generally considered the standard option for pregnancy aches that need more than rest. 5
• Influenza can shift from mild to severe in as little as 48 hours, showing up as shortness of breath, a fast heart rate, and low blood pressure, and pregnancy is named among the high-risk groups for viral and secondary bacterial pneumonia. 6

When should I call my provider about body aches?

Aches that arrive suddenly alongside fever, cough, and sore throat read as influenza rather than the steady soreness of a growing body, and pregnancy sits in the named high-risk group for flu complications. Seek care urgently for shortness of breath, a racing heart, or lightheadedness, since severe influenza can develop within about 48 hours of the first symptoms. Aches that fade and then return with a new fever match the pattern of a secondary bacterial pneumonia following the flu, which is a same-day call. 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.