On average your belly Is growing about 1 cm each week, putting extra load on your body
On average you'll gain up to 2kgs during the first trimester, and about 0.5-1kg per week throughout the second & third trimesters. That’s a total of 12-16kgs over the course of your pregnancy. The extra weight puts more load on your body and can contribute to back, hip, pelvic & sciatica pain.
An estimated 50-70% of women will suffer from pregnacy back pain
The weight gained throughout pregnancy adds pressure to the spine and lower back. Your centre of gravity can shift and it can become harder to maintain a proper posture that can lead to lower back pain.
Hormonal changes and the production of relaxin which relaxes the spinal and pelvic ligaments and joints for labour. This spinal relaxation can cause instability and can further cause lower back pain.
Up to 34% of women suffer from hip pain at some stage during pregnancy.
On average 43% of pregnant women are affected by pelvic girdle pain.
Prolonged pressure on your hip is the most common cause of hip pain during pregnancy. This can occur from laying on your side. It can also be caused by hip & pelvic instability (from from production of relaxin).
It can make it more difficult to move and walk and is common especially during the 3rd trimester.