Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentWhen to Call a ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
When to Call a Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Lightning crotch is intense, shooting pain in the vagina, pelvis, or rectum that may go down the inner thigh. It can also cause a pins-and-needles sensation that lasts 15 to 60 seconds. The condition is called “lightning crotch” because the pain often feels like a sudden electrical jolt.
Lightning crotch can happen throughout pregnancy, especially in the last trimester. It’s not a typical sign of labor, but it can feel different from other kinds of pelvic pain that can happen while you’re pregnant.
This article discusses the symptoms of lightning crotch as well as causes, treatment, and when to call your healthcare provider.
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Symptoms of Lightning Crotch
The symptoms of lightning crotch include:
Not every pregnant person gets lightning crotch. For people who do experience it, they may not have it with every pregnancy.
Is Lightning Crotch a Sign of Labor?While certain pains in pregnancy can besigns of early labor, lightning crotch tends to start happening before you get ready to deliver. By itself, lightning crotch does not mean you’re in labor.However, it’s also possible that you might think you’re having lightning crotch pains when you’re really starting to have contractions as you get closer to the end of your pregnancy.
Is Lightning Crotch a Sign of Labor?
While certain pains in pregnancy can besigns of early labor, lightning crotch tends to start happening before you get ready to deliver. By itself, lightning crotch does not mean you’re in labor.However, it’s also possible that you might think you’re having lightning crotch pains when you’re really starting to have contractions as you get closer to the end of your pregnancy.
While certain pains in pregnancy can besigns of early labor, lightning crotch tends to start happening before you get ready to deliver. By itself, lightning crotch does not mean you’re in labor.
However, it’s also possible that you might think you’re having lightning crotch pains when you’re really starting to have contractions as you get closer to the end of your pregnancy.
What Can Cause Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy?
Causes of Lightning Crotch During Pregnancy
The exact cause of lightning crotch is not known. It tends to occur more in the last trimester as the fetus grows larger and puts more pressure on the nerves around the uterus.
Possible causes of lightning crotch in pregnancy could include:
Only some pregnant individuals experience lightning crotch, and it may or may not occur in the same person with subsequent pregnancies.
What Is Dilation in Pregnancy?
Treatment for Lightning Crotch
The treatments for lightning crotch during pregnancy can include:
Home Treatment
Some research has shown that home treatments can help with lightning crotch pain during pregnancy:
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When to Call a Healthcare Provider
These early warning signs do not necessarily mean you need to call your provider, but if you haveconsistent contractionsthat are coming more frequently and increasing in duration and severity—even if you are not sure you are in labor—it is time to call them.
It’s important to call your provider if you have sharp, shooting pains from lightning crotch along with some specific “red flag” symptoms, such as:
Summary
Lightning crotch during pregnancy is a sharp, sudden, and shooting pain that can be felt in the pelvis, vagina, or rectum. This pain may also travel down the inner thigh.
The exact cause of lightning crotch is not known but it could be from factors like fetal growth and movement, as well as body changes that take place at the end of pregnancy. Treatments for lightning crotch include pain medication, chiropractic adjustments, and home remedies.
While lightning crotch on its own is not necessarily a sign that you’re in labor, if you have pain along with other symptoms you should call your provider just to be sure.
Sitting for long periods can trigger lightning crotch pain. You should stand and move around periodically, and avoid sitting for long periods of time.
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.International Doula Institute.What are signs of cervical dilation?Howell ER.Pregnancy-related symphysis pubis dysfunction management and postpartum rehabilitation: two case reports.J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2012;56(2):102-111.Cleveland Clinic.10 signs labor may be beginning.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.International Doula Institute.What are signs of cervical dilation?Howell ER.Pregnancy-related symphysis pubis dysfunction management and postpartum rehabilitation: two case reports.J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2012;56(2):102-111.Cleveland Clinic.10 signs labor may be beginning.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
International Doula Institute.What are signs of cervical dilation?Howell ER.Pregnancy-related symphysis pubis dysfunction management and postpartum rehabilitation: two case reports.J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2012;56(2):102-111.Cleveland Clinic.10 signs labor may be beginning.
International Doula Institute.What are signs of cervical dilation?
Howell ER.Pregnancy-related symphysis pubis dysfunction management and postpartum rehabilitation: two case reports.J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2012;56(2):102-111.
Cleveland Clinic.10 signs labor may be beginning.
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