Pregnancy Rib Pain: Causes, Prevention, Remedies

Intro

If you’re pregnant and feeling pain around your ribs, you might be asking whether this is typical. Rib discomfort in pregnancy is frequent, particularly in the third trimester as your baby grows larger. However, the ache can begin much earlier in the pregnancy as well.

Rib pain during pregnancy can stem from your baby kicking or pressing into the rib area, stretching beneath the ribs, or simply moving against them. Stretched muscles can also be a culprit. In uncommon situations, the pain may point to a medical issue.

Below we explain what can cause rib pain while pregnant, ways to reduce the risk, and what you can do to feel more comfortable until delivery.

Causes of rib pain during pregnancy

Musculoskeletal changes

The physical transformations of pregnancy can bring on rib pain. For example, your range of motion changes as your body enlarges. Bending forward becomes more difficult because of the baby in front of you. Those movement limitations can lead to discomfort in the rib area.

Gallstones

Pregnancy increases the likelihood of gallbladder problems. Higher estrogen and slower emptying of the gallbladder and bile ducts contribute to gallstone formation.

As many as 30 percent of pregnant and postpartum individuals develop biliary “sludge” due to sluggish ducts. Around 12 percent will form actual gallstones.

Often, sludge and gallstones are symptomless, but sometimes they produce pain. Approximately 1 to 3 percent of women require surgery after delivery to remove gallstones.

Heartburn

The hormone relaxin is released during pregnancy. It helps loosen certain muscles and ligaments to prepare the body for childbirth.

Relaxin may also play a role in skeletal discomfort experienced in pregnancy. This can include pelvic pain and possibly rib pain as your body rearranges to accommodate your baby.

Relaxin also relaxes part of the esophagus, which is why heartburn is much more common in pregnancy. For some, heartburn can present as rib pain.

Other complications

Most rib pain during pregnancy is simply routine discomfort. But in some cases, it can indicate a more serious underlying problem.

For example, pain in the upper right abdomen could signal liver disease, preeclampsia, or HELLP syndrome. HELLP is a potentially life-threatening condition that includes symptoms like protein in the urine and high blood pressure.

Seek immediate medical care if you have sudden, severe rib pain along with any of the following:

• dizziness
• seeing spots or floaters
• bleeding
• intense headaches
• nausea and vomiting

Rib pain and tumors

There is some evidence pregnancy might encourage liver enlargement in women with cancer or at high risk for liver cancer. Severe pain beneath the right rib could prompt your provider to evaluate for a tumor, which might push the liver into the rib cage.

Pregnancy also increases blood clotting, raising risk for clot-related conditions in some women. Rarely, Budd-Chiari syndrome — which can involve the liver and kidneys — may occur. Any intense rib pain should be evaluated by a medical professional.

Preventing rib pain during pregnancy

If a baby’s foot pressing into your ribs is the cause, there may be little you can do about those exact kicks. Still, you can reduce some rib discomfort by staying active and exercising while pregnant. Activity helps you stay more comfortable and avoids excess weight gain, which can worsen pain.

To lower the chance of gallstones, aim for a balanced diet. Consuming a diet high in unhealthy fats can increase gallstone risk.

Remedies for rib pain

If you have rib pain, try these approaches to ease your symptoms.

Visit a chiropractor

A chiropractic adjustment can help align your skeleton as pregnancy-related shifts change your posture. An adjustment may also help the baby move into a lower position, relieving pressure on your ribs.

Use an exercise ball

Those large exercise balls are very helpful during pregnancy for rib soreness. Lean back over the ball and perform gentle roll-outs to ease tension.

Shop for exercise balls.

Exercise

Although it might not sound appealing, gentle exercise like stretching-focused yoga helps keep muscles relaxed. Regular movement supports both your wellbeing and the baby’s health.

Next steps

Mild rib pain is a common part of pregnancy. However, if you experience sudden, severe rib or abdominal pain, contact your healthcare provider to rule out serious conditions. They’ll determine whether additional evaluation is needed.