Pregnancy can be pretty uncomfortable some days. Growing a human comes with a whole host of symptoms and side effects, from nausea and vomiting to sleep loss and swelling (think: pregnancy nose). But one symptom you don’t hear much about, despite it being exceedingly common, is lightning crotch. Sounds scary, right?
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, lightning crotch is a word used to describe the unexpected twinge that occurs during pregnancy – typically in the vaginal region, the pelvic region, or the rectum – that can leave you in a brief state of pain and discomfort.
While the sharp, shooting pain can come on suddenly, lightning crotch isn’t actually dangerous. In fact, it’s a fairly normal part of pregnancy that typically happens later in the third semester, per Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine. Fortunately, the sensation doesn’t typically last long and there are ways to find relief.
What Is Lightning Crotch?
Lightning crotch isn’t a medical term, Carolyn Moyers, DO, a board-certified ob-gyn who specializes in pregnancy-pain treatment, says. However, plenty of expectant parents use the term colloquially to describe the sudden sharp, shooting sensation. “Women describe it as an electric bolt or twinge that shoots into the vaginal region. And it’s usually in the third trimester, toward the end of the pregnancy,” Dr. Moyers says.
What Causes or Triggers Lightning Crotch?
Experts aren’t sure what causes lightning crotch, but Dr. Moyers says the pain could be triggered by the pressure of the baby. “We’ve got a lot of pressure and discomfort going on with the female anatomy as our center of gravity shifts forward,” Dr. Moyers says. “We get a strain on those lumbar muscles in the back – and our abdominal muscles being stretched and our pelvic floor muscles – with this increase in pressure.” Sometimes, that pressure can result in pain that feels like a strong jab, electric shock, burning, or pins and needles.
How Long Does Lightning Crotch Last?
According to Dr. Moyers, the pain can last anywhere between a few seconds to a few minutes. The pain can also occur multiple times throughout the day and often without warning.
What’s the Difference Between Lightning-Crotch Pain and Other Pregnancy or Pelvic Pain? When Should You See a Doctor?
Lightning-crotch pain is characterized as a quick electric shock that remedies itself within seconds or minutes and is therefore of “no concern,” Dr. Moyers says. That being said, there are a few other pregnancy pains that could be mistaken for lightning crotch: round-ligament pain, which Dr. Moyers describes as a pulling sensation in the lower abdomen and pelvic area; sciatic pain, which usually occurs toward the back of the pelvis near the rectum area and can radiate down the leg; and varicose veins in the vulva, which can cause pressure and heaviness in that area.
If you’re not sure which you’re experiencing, consult your doctor – especially if the pain is persistent. “If you have persistent pain, then you’ve got to get checked out immediately,” Dr. Moyers says. More serious and persistent pelvic pain has been associated with conditions such as placental abruption, preterm labor, and bladder or kidney infections, she says – and those aren’t conditions that you want to leave unaddressed.
How Do You Treat Lightning Crotch?
“Sometimes, nothing works,” Dr. Moyers says – but there’s no harm in trying. Too often, people are told, “‘Yes, it’s hard being pregnant’ . . . basically, suck it up. And that’s really frustrating,” she says. “But there definitely are options for treatment.”
Dr. Moyers, having done a neuro-musculoskeletal medicine fellowship, specializes in therapeutic treatments for back and pelvic pain in pregnancy and postpartum. Her go-to recommendations include chiropractic adjustment, seeing an osteopathic physician, and relying on position changes to move the baby off the nerves that may be triggering your pain. Squatting positions and yoga are great for relief, Dr. Moyers says. She also swears by belly bands to redistribute the weight and lighten the load on the pelvis; she fits moms for belly bands at her office. You can ask your ob-gyn if they can do the same for you or recommend you to someone who can.
