Patient's question:
Pain at the symphysis pubis, 35 weeks pregnantDoctor's answer:
After 20 weeks of pregnancy, there will be significant tenderness at the symphysis pubis, and the gap between the symphysis pubis will widen, causing pain during movement. This is a normal phenomenon and does not require treatment.Advice: The cause or etiology is as follows: The pregnant woman's ovaries secrete a substance called "relaxin," which gradually increases as the pregnancy progresses. Relaxin makes the fibrocartilage and ligaments of the sacroiliac joint and symphysis pubis relax, widening the pubic gap to accommodate the growing fetus in the uterus. By the late stage of pregnancy, the gap between the symphysis pubis can widen to 0.3–0.4 centimeters to prepare for the smooth delivery of the fetal head during childbirth. Severe symptoms are referred to as "symphysis pubis diastasis." When the pain is significant, it is advisable to rest in bed, preferably in a left lateral position. Due to this process, mothers are truly remarkable. If the fetus is excessively large and the symptoms are severe, to ensure the safety of both mother and child, a cesarean section is recommended. After the fetus is delivered, as the level of relaxin decreases, the symphysis pubis will naturally close and return to its original state, and the pain will subside accordingly.