What causes leg cramps while pregnant?
Leg cramps are a sudden tightening of muscles, which can cause intense pain. The muscles may tighten for a variety of reasons, such as lack of fluids, injury, muscle strain, or staying in the same position for a long period of time. Blood circulation problems or pressure on the nerves in the spine can also cause cramp-like pains in your legs. The reasons for increased leg cramps during pregnancy aren’t clear. They may be caused by: Changes in blood circulation during pregnancy The stress on your leg muscles of carrying the extra weight of pregnancy The pressure of the growing baby on the nerves and blood vessels that go to your legs Experts once thought that leg cramps were caused by too little calcium in the diet. They no longer believe that this is true. (But be sure you are eating enough dairy products and other foods that contain calcium during pregnancy. This nutrient is important to your baby’s development and helps keep your own bones strong and healthy.) Leg Cramps: What You Ca
