If you start to experience lower back pain or discomfort at 22 weeks pregnant, don’t worry. You’re not alone! It is estimated that between 50 to 70 percent of all women experience back pain during their pregnancy. It is very common in the second trimester.

Back pain during your pregnancy week by week is normal and it is caused by a number of factors, including the higher levels of hormones in your pregnant body, the additional weight (your growing baby and uterus) that you must carry around during pregnancy, bad posture and even stress.

For helpful tips on alleviating low back pain, check out pregnancy week 22 at Women’s Healthcare Topics.

You shouldn’t call your doctor or healthcare provider for regular back pain. But you may want to call them if you start to have severe back pain, or increasingly painful back discomfort, and cramping pains.  A pregnancy pillow or maternity support belt may also help alleviate some of your back discomfort.