Expert: Dorothy H, LCCE - 4/29/2009

Question
I am wondering about a specific pain I have been having recently.  The first few times I felt it, I was active (walking, shopping, cooking, etc.) but today (38w 1d) I felt it again and I was sitting at my desk at work.

It is a sharp stabbing pain inside my vagina maybe my cervix... not sure... first baby... anyways, it sticks around for several minutes, but it is not a constant pain it is more like short stabs that kinda make me stop in my tracks, but don't last, then a few seconds later, another one... I have tried to research it on my own, but all I have seen was things like maybe the baby bumping against my cervix or maybe the cervix dilating or thinning... I don't go back to the OB until tomorrow afternoon, so I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what I might be feeling?

Answer
Hi Adrienne,

What you described is very common in late pregnancy - sharp sudden stabbing pain that feels like it's in your cervix or vagina.  Personally, I experienced this myself with my own pregnancies and it was not comfortable at all!

It could be round ligament pain - which can sometimes be associated with a brief, sharp, stabbing pain when you change position, cough, get out of bed, etc. It may also be caused by pressure from the baby on your cervix, or as you saw in your research, the baby hitting your cervix.

Whatever is causing it, it is a normal (although uncomfortable!) sensation of late pregnancy.  

Hang in there; soon you will be holding your baby!

Sincerely,

Dorothy Haines, LCCE