Back pain is very common in pregnancy as pregnancy hormones relax your joints, ligaments and muscles, allowing them to stretch and move out of place. Your increasing weight will add to the problem, because it's natural to want to push your bump forwards. This puts greater strain on your back.
Low back pain is the most common, but you may also have discomfort in your upper back, shoulders, between your breasts and in your ribcage. Some women suffer from sciatica, a sharp shooting pain down one or both legs. (Read more about causes of back pain in pregnancy here.)
Walking, prolonged sitting or standing in one position may make your back pain worse. Pain in the coccyx (tailbone), a result of tiny fractures caused by a fall or a previous difficult birth, can also flare up in pregnancy - the only treatment is rest. Of course, you might have had back, neck or pelvic problems before you became pregnant. Pregnancy will tend to make these worse. You might be reminded of old injuries such as a previously fractured ankle or slipped disc, again because the hormones affect the joints, muscles and ligaments.
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