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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. It needs only self-help; a doctor can confirm the pattern and rule out other causes.
- What it is: pain from the two round ligaments, about 10 to 12 cm long, that support the womb, as they stretch while the womb grows.
- When: usually in the second trimester, from about 12 to 27 weeks; it often eases in the third trimester.
- How it feels: a sharp, jabbing or pulling pain low in the tummy or groin, on one or both sides, lasting seconds to minutes.
- Emergency: contact your maternity unit straight away for pain with bleeding, regular tightenings, fever or pain that does not go away.
Do not book a video appointment if the pain is severe and does not go away, or comes with bleeding, regular tightenings, leaking fluid, fever, pain when peeing or fewer movements: contact your maternity unit straight away. In early pregnancy, pain on one side with bleeding needs checking for an ectopic pregnancy.
Can an online doctor help with round ligament pain?
Yes, usually. Round ligament pain is common, harmless to you and your baby, and eases with simple changes. A doctor by video can check whether your pain fits the pattern of brief, sharp pain with movement, rule out the causes that need care in person, such as labour, a urine infection or, in early pregnancy, an ectopic pregnancy, and go through what helps. Severe pain that does not go away, or pain with bleeding, fever or regular tightenings, needs your maternity unit.
How an online consultation helps with round ligament pain
- Pattern recognised: Brief, sharp pain with movement, on one or both sides of the bump.
- Other causes ruled out: Labour, a urine infection, constipation or, early on, an ectopic pregnancy.
- What helps: Moving slowly, supporting your bump, resting on your side and a warm bath.
- When to call: The signs that mean your maternity unit, at any hour.
What the doctor checks in an online consultation for round ligament pain
The doctor checks that the pain fits the pattern, and that nothing else is going on. The doctor asks about:
- Warning signs: bleeding, regular tightenings, leaking fluid, fever, pain when peeing, or fewer movements.
- The pain: where it is, how long each episode lasts, and whether it goes away completely in between.
- What sets it off: standing up, rolling over, coughing, sneezing or laughing.
- Your stage: how many weeks pregnant you are.
- Other symptoms: nausea or vomiting not related to morning sickness, back pain, or unusual discharge.
- Your bowels: constipation or trapped wind, which also cause tummy pain in pregnancy.
What is round ligament pain?
Round ligament pain is pain from the two round ligaments, cords of tissue about 10 to 12 cm long that run from either side of the womb down to the groin. As the womb grows, they stretch and tighten, and sudden movements can make them go into spasm.
Pregnancy hormones loosen the ligaments, and the growing womb stretches them. It is very common, and it is not dangerous to you or your baby.
When does round ligament pain start?
Usually in the second trimester, from about 12 to 27 weeks, when the womb grows fastest, though some women feel it earlier. It often eases in the third trimester; some women only get full relief after the birth.
Is round ligament pain a good sign?
It is a normal part of the womb growing, not a sign of a problem.
What does round ligament pain feel like?
A sharp, jabbing or stabbing pain, an ache, a cramp or a pulling feeling, low in the tummy or in the groin, on one or both sides. Each episode usually lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes.
Where is round ligament pain felt?
In the lower tummy, the lower pelvis or the groin, on one side or both. The Royal Berkshire NHS leaflet notes it is usually on the right.
What sets it off?
- sudden movements, such as standing up from a chair or rolling over in bed
- sneezing, coughing or laughing
- deep breathing during exercise
How long does round ligament pain last?
Each episode usually passes within seconds to minutes, but it can keep coming back through the second trimester. Pain that does not go away after a few hours needs checking.
How to ease round ligament pain
Move slowly, support your bump when you cough or sneeze, rest on your side with pillows, and try a warm bath. Most episodes pass quickly.
- change position slowly, and walk at an easy pace
- lean forward slightly, or bend your knees up towards your tummy, and support your bump with your hands when you cough or sneeze
- rest on the side opposite the pain, with a pillow between your knees and one under your bump
- try a warm, not hot, bath
- try antenatal yoga and pelvic tilts
- use a support belt or a tubular support bandage
- avoid heavy lifting and standing for long periods
- ask a doctor whether paracetamol is right for you
What else can cause pain low in the bump?
Most tummy pain in pregnancy is harmless, but it has several causes:
- Constipation and trapped wind: common, and eased by going to the toilet or passing wind.
- Braxton Hicks: tightening of the whole bump, not a sharp pain on one side; see Braxton Hicks contractions.
- Pelvic girdle pain: pain over the pubic bone or lower back with walking and stairs; see pelvic girdle pain.
- A urine infection: tummy pain, sometimes with pain when peeing; see bladder problems in pregnancy.
- An ectopic pregnancy: in early pregnancy, pain on one side with bleeding; see ectopic pregnancy.
- Premature labour, a placenta problem or pre-eclampsia: regular tightenings before 37 weeks, pain with bleeding, or pain under the ribs; these need care straight away.
What might the doctor recommend for pain low in the bump?
What happens next depends on the pain and anything that comes with it. This is the framework the doctors use:
Swipe sideways to compare →
| What you have | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severe pain with feeling faint, or heavy bleeding | Emergency care | No | Call 112 now |
| Pain with bleeding, regular tightenings, leaking fluid or fewer movements | Checks at the maternity unit | No | Maternity unit straight away |
| Pain with fever or pain when peeing | Checking for an infection | Yes, to assess | A urine test promptly |
| Brief, sharp pain with movement, gone in between | Advice on what eases it | Yes | Not usually |
| Pain on one side with bleeding in early pregnancy | A scan for an ectopic pregnancy | Yes, to assess urgency | Early pregnancy unit promptly |
Not sure whether your pain is normal? A doctor can go through it with you in one consultation.
See available times →Special situations
Before 12 weeks
Round ligament pain usually starts later. Pain on one side in early pregnancy, especially with bleeding, needs checking.
Pain under the ribs
Pain high under the ribs is not round ligament pain. Later in pregnancy it can be a sign of pre-eclampsia and needs your maternity unit straight away.
While exercising
Move slowly between positions, and support your bump; stop and rest if the pain comes on.
When round ligament pain is managed online, and when you need in-person care
Treated online: brief, sharp pain with movement, checking that it fits, ruling out other causes, and what eases it.
In-person care: pain with bleeding, regular tightenings, leaking fluid, fever, pain when peeing, fewer movements, or severe pain that does not go away.
When to get in-person care
Call 112 now for:
- severe pain with feeling faint or collapsing
- heavy vaginal bleeding
Contact your maternity unit straight away, at any hour, for:
- pain with any vaginal bleeding or spotting
- regular cramps or tightenings, or lower back pain that comes and goes
- leaking fluid, or unusual discharge
- pain or blood when peeing, or cloudy urine
- fever or chills, or vomiting not related to morning sickness
- severe pain that does not ease after 30 to 60 minutes of rest
- your baby moving less than usual
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: daily 7am–11pm CET. You can see a doctor over video, usually within 15 minutes. No subscription, and the exact price is shown before you pay.
- Speak to a licensed doctor about the pain: show where it hurts, and say what sets it off, how long it lasts and how many weeks pregnant you are.
- Leave with a plan: whether it fits round ligament pain, what eases it, and the signs that mean your maternity unit. If the doctor prescribes, use the prescription at a pharmacy near you.
No sign-up needed
Tummy pain in pregnancy can have more than one cause. Tick every symptom you have to see each page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Similar symptoms, different condition? Braxton Hicks Contractions can start the same way. Compare them, or look up any other symptom in the full symptom checker.
Frequently asked questions about round ligament pain
What is round ligament pain?
Round ligament pain is pain from the two round ligaments, cords of tissue about 10 to 12 cm long that run from either side of the womb down to the groin, as they stretch and tighten while the womb grows in pregnancy. Sudden movements make them go into spasm, which causes a sharp, brief pain low in the tummy or groin. It is very common, usually starts in the second trimester, and is not dangerous to you or your baby.
What does round ligament pain feel like?
Round ligament pain feels like a sharp, jabbing or pulling pain, or sometimes a dull ache or cramp, low in the tummy or groin on one or both sides, usually lasting seconds to a couple of minutes, often when you stand up, roll over in bed, cough, sneeze or laugh. It can also be a nagging ache after a long walk or a day on your feet, and it eases when you rest and change position.
Where is round ligament pain felt?
Round ligament pain is felt in the lower tummy, lower pelvis or groin, on one side or both, and more often on the right, because the womb tends to tilt that way as it grows; it can spread towards the hip or the top of the thigh. Pain higher up, in the back, or on one side with bleeding or faintness is not round ligament pain and needs checking.
When does round ligament pain start?
Round ligament pain usually starts in the second trimester, from about 12 to 27 weeks, when the womb grows up out of the pelvis and the ligaments stretch fastest, though some women feel it earlier and it can return at the end of pregnancy as the baby drops. It often eases in the third trimester, once the womb is supported by the abdominal wall as well as the ligaments.
How long does round ligament pain last?
Each episode of round ligament pain usually lasts seconds to a couple of minutes and settles when you stop moving, and the tendency to it comes and goes over a few weeks before easing in the third trimester. Pain that does not go away after a few hours, gets steadily worse, or comes with bleeding, fever, burning when you pee or regular tightenings needs checking by your maternity unit.
What causes round ligament pain?
Round ligament pain is caused by pregnancy hormones loosening the ligaments while the growing womb stretches them, so that a sudden movement, coughing, sneezing, laughing, rolling over or standing up quickly makes a ligament tighten sharply, like a cramp. It is a sign of normal growth rather than of a problem, and it is more noticeable in a second or later pregnancy and with twins.
How do you ease round ligament pain?
To ease round ligament pain, move slowly when you stand up, sit down or roll over, support your bump with your hands when you cough, sneeze or laugh, bend your hips before coughing, rest on your side with a pillow under the bump and between your knees, try a warm bath or a warm flannel, and wear a maternity support belt if you are on your feet a lot. Gentle stretching and prenatal yoga help, and paracetamol is safe if you need it.
Can round ligament pain be prevented?
Round ligament pain cannot be prevented altogether, because the ligaments have to stretch, but you can have fewer and milder episodes: change position slowly, especially getting out of bed and chairs, brace your bump before you cough, sneeze or laugh, avoid sudden twists and long periods on your feet, wear a support belt in the later months, keep the pelvic and tummy muscles strong with gentle exercise, and stay well hydrated, since dehydration makes cramps more likely.
Is round ligament pain dangerous?
No. Round ligament pain is common and not dangerous to you or your baby; it is the ligaments stretching as the womb grows. Pain that comes with bleeding, fever, burning when you pee, leaking fluid or regular tightenings, pain that does not ease with rest, or severe constant pain is not round ligament pain and needs your maternity unit, because other causes, such as a urine infection or early labour, need treatment.
Is round ligament pain a good sign?
Round ligament pain is a normal part of the womb growing, not a sign of a problem, so in that sense it is reassuring, though not having it is equally normal and says nothing about how the pregnancy is going. It is also not a sign that labour is near, even late in pregnancy; regular tightenings, a show or waters breaking are the signs of that.
How can I tell round ligament pain from something serious?
Round ligament pain is brief and comes with movement. Pain that does not go away, or comes with bleeding, fever, tightenings or fewer movements, needs your maternity unit.
Is it round ligament pain or something more serious?
Round ligament pain is a sharp, jabbing or pulling pain low in the tummy or groin, on one or both sides, that lasts seconds to minutes and is set off by standing up, rolling over, coughing, sneezing or laughing. Pain that builds and does not ease, or comes with bleeding, a high temperature, pain on peeing, vomiting or contractions, needs care, because labour, a urine infection, constipation or trapped wind and, early in pregnancy, an ectopic pregnancy can all cause tummy pain in pregnancy.
Can an online doctor help with round ligament pain?
Yes, usually. A doctor can check by video whether the pain fits round ligament pain from where it is, what sets it off and how long it lasts, rule out the causes that need care in person, such as a urine infection, and go through what eases it. Pain with bleeding, fever, leaking fluid or regular tightenings needs your maternity unit directly.
- Round ligament pain, NHS Fife (Scotland), published 21 October 2025.
- Round ligament pain in pregnancy, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, physiotherapy leaflet, reviewed March 2026.
- Stomach pain in pregnancy, NHS, National Health Service (UK), reviewed 18 November 2024.
- Round ligament pain, Cleveland Clinic (US), reviewed 29 March 2024.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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