Is Lower Back Pain Early Pregnancy Sign Of Miscarriage? (First Trimester)
Last updated on July 27th, 2018 at 01:06 am
Question: Is lower back pain early pregnancy sign of miscarriage?
If you are getting pregnant for the very first time, you may begin to worry when your back hurts in early pregnancy.
The truth is you are not alone; A lot of women will experience back pain during pregnancy and generally, it’s nothing serious.
Lower back pain is not only common in women that are pregnant for the first time. If you had a baby before, a low back pain could occur in your next pregnancy.
The most common reasons pregnant women will have back pain are hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and the effect of the growing baby on ligaments, muscles, and nerves.
During pregnancy, your body begins to produce hormones that help relax your joints. This hormone may also affect the tightness of your spine and pelvis causing pain in your back.
About 60 to 80 percent of women will have this pain when pregnant, so don’t feel it’s just you. Pain may become worse depending on your weight during pregnancy, the size of your belly bump and stress.
If you’re now pregnant and not engaging in any form of body stretching or exercise, there is an increased chance you will get a back pain. This pain in the back, in most women, will not affect the growth and safety of their baby.
Frequently, back pain will not show up till you are in the second trimester. However, it may come early (at 8 weeks of pregnancy) if you’ve previously suffered from back pain before pregnancy.
Having said that, severe back pain during pregnancy between 4 to 8 weeks could mean something different from the usual pregnancy back pain.
An ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage may cause back pain in addition to vaginal bleeding and belly cramps.
It’s important you understand the usual types of back pain during pregnancy, signs of miscarriage in early pregnancy and when it’s important to talk to a doctor.
What causes lower back pain in early pregnancy?
It’s not abnormal that you will get pain at your back during pregnancy. More than two-third of pregnant women will get pain when pregnant and will get worse as your baby grows.
Back pain in pregnancy result from a hormone, relaxin, that weakens the sacroiliac joint, resulting in weakness of your back muscles and then pain.
Another reason for back pain is the stretching of the round ligament of the uterus as your baby increases in size in the first, second and third trimester.
There are three types of back pain you may experience when pregnant.
1. Lumbar pain
A lumbar pain is usually located in the middle upper part of your back, around or above the waist region. If you have this type of pain, surely it’s not the first time you are experiencing it.
Before getting pregnant, you may have experienced a sharp back pain that comes and goes when bending forward.
Usually, pain can also be felt when you lean forward to carry an object. If you’ve been standing for a long time, you may also get this type of pain.
2. Pelvic pain
Pelvic pain is the most common type of pain women experience when pregnant. It is a sharp pain you will feel inside your buttocks and may also occur with a lumbar pain.
Pelvic pain can be located at either one or both buttocks and may extend to your groin and thighs.
Usually, turning from one side to another swiftly will cause this type of pain during pregnancy. Other causes are walking a long distance, lifting objects or climbing stairs at home.
3. Sciatica pain
Sciatica pain is usually common in the lower back (lumbar region) and radiates to your thighs, knees, leg, and foot.
This type of pregnancy back pain usually occurs because you have a herniated disc and may be worse when you are sitting. However, it’s not very likely you will have sciatica during pregnancy. Only 1 percent of pregnant mothers will get this type of pain.
Is lower back pain early pregnancy sign of miscarriage?
Because there are many causes of low back pain when pregnant, it’s important you understand whats normal and what’s not.
Firstly, having lower back pain in the lower back is common after your third month of pregnancy and may continue till you are term
Secondly, having low back pain is possible in the first trimester and may not mean a miscarriage if you’ve experienced a severe pain before your pregnancy.
Thirdly, a mild or severe lower back pain with vaginal bleeding and stomach cramps is not normal in pregnancy.
The truth is back pain in early pregnancy with vaginal bleeding is a sign of miscarriage. If you are bleeding with back pain in early pregnancy between 4 and 8 weeks of pregnancy, you must inform your doctor.
Miscarriage is very common especially if you are in your 4th week of pregnancy. At four weeks, the likelihood you may end up with a miscarriage is as high as 22 to 75 percent. The rate at 5 and six weeks is lower, about 10 and 5 percent respectively.
Subsequently, as you get towards your second trimester, it becomes less likely you will get a miscarriage.
Other symptoms you experience if back pain is due to a miscarriage are
⇒ Blood clots from vagina
Blood clots that are big, black with increased vaginal bleeding is a sign you are having a miscarriage.
⇒ Fading pregnancy symptoms
Depending on your gestational age, you will already have had symptoms of pregnancy
Very early in pregnancy, you may feel like vomiting with body weakness. Other symptoms during early pregnancy are food craving and aversion, increased urination, belly cramps and mood changes.
If it becomes clear, you no longer have these symptoms, it’s likely your pregnancy is no longer viable.
⇒ Fetal tissue from vagina
Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy is one of the commonest ways to tell you are having a miscarriage. However, some women will not bleed; rather will complain of back pain with the passage of fetal tissues from vagina.
If you experience this; don’t wait, talk to your doctor immediately.
I’m bleeding and cramping with back pain, what to do?
If you have vaginal bleeding, low back pain, abdominal cramps with fading pregnancy symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately
If it’s due to a miscarriage, bleeding may be heavy and may sometimes cause you to feel dizzy and exhausted.
Also, some women will need evacuation of fetal tissue through vacuum aspiration or D & C to stop vaginal bleeding and pain. This is usually carried out after an ultrasound diagnosis of a miscarriage.
On the other hand, if your back pain and spotting are not severe enough to have affected your baby, you doctor will request you have enough rest.
At this point, smoking, alcohol, severe exercise, should be completely avoided.
I have back pain, no bleeding or cramping?
If you have only mild or severe pain at your back or buttocks, you can ease off pain with any of these steps.
⇒ Use heat cold compress
This is an easy and effective way to feel better during pains. It involves using ice and heating pad intermittently.
This could ease off your pain for a while.
⇒ Exercise
It’s common to see women relaxing and not engaging in any exercise when they get back pain. But you shouldn’t.
Having exercise, either by swimming or walking around, can help stretch your back muscles and ease pains.
⇒ Be cautious of wrong movements
When pregnant, walking for a very long distance, sitting for too long, turning very fast, getting out from your car can cause back pain. It’s important you learn what causes pain for you and avoid such posture or movements.
⇒ Use pain relief medications
Talk to your doctor if back pain is not subsiding. Your doctor may prescribe acetaminophen to ease your pain for a while.
Be careful not taking a drug without doctor consult. At early pregnancy, some medications may cause problems for your baby.
What does miscarriage back pain feel like?
Pain in the back, during a miscarriage, may be mild, severe or not present at all. Symptoms will vary from woman to woman though may be worse during a later stage of the first trimester.
If your pain is severe with severe belly cramps, talk to your doctor.
Is lower back pain first trimester sign of pregnancy
In the first trimester, more than 10 – 20 percent of women will have a miscarriage. A common symptom is vaginal bleeding. However, you may experience abdominal cramps, vomiting, body weakness, lower back pain and absent pregnancy symptoms.
Are you worried your back pain early pregnancy is due to a miscarriage? Ask Us!!
