What Numb Hands and Tingling Could Mean During Pregnancy
Numb hands in pregnancy and a "pins and needles" feeling are most common in the third trimester. Find out why it may be happening.Medically reviewed by Kiarra King, M.D.Medically reviewed by Kiarra King, M.D.As if being pregnant wasn’t exhausting and overwhelming enough, sometimes parents-to-be experience some unexpected symptoms, especially in the last few months. Pregnancy fatigue might be one symptom you've heard about before. But take numbness, for example—that one might come as a surprise. Some pregnant people will experience “pins and needles” or numbing feelings in their hands, fingers, legs, back, or buttocks toward the end of their pregnancy.Not only can these symptoms become irritating and sometimes very uncomfortable, but they may leave you wondering if anything serious is going on.
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Symptoms of Numbness During PregnancyBelow are the most commonly reported symptoms of numb hands or body tingling in pregnancy:An uptick in symptoms upon waking up, in the middle of the night, or when performing certain movements with your body.The feeling of “pins and needles,” a loss of sensation, or a radiating tingling that is accompanied by pain.Presenting toward the middle or end of pregnancy, as weight gain and fluid retention increase.Causes of Numbness During PregnancyYou can blame hormones as well as the extreme bodily changes you are experiencing during pregnancy for those sensations of numbness and tingling. As your pregnancy progresses, your body produces more of the hormone relaxin which allows your ligaments to stretch during pregnancy and childbirth.However, the extra relaxin also causes your posture and center of gravity to shift. As a result, your nerves may become pinched causing shooting pain and tingling down your legs, thighs, back, and buttocks.Similarly, as your uterus grows heavier and fuller, it puts an unusual strain on your muscles, ligaments, and nerves which can also contribute to sensations of numbness and tingling.As you move toward the second and third trimester of pregnancy, swelling of the hands and feet is common due to water retention. This swelling can contribute to feelings of numbness and tingling in your extremities and can also put pressure on nerves in your wrists, back, legs, thighs, and buttocks.Numbness in Hands and FingersIt's not unusual to experience numbness and tingling sensations in your hands and fingers, especially as your pregnancy progresses. For some people, this excess fluid puts pressure on the median nerve in the wrist, causing carpal tunnel syndrome.Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancyCarpal tunnel syndrome is quite common during pregnancy, with as many as 31% to 62% of pregnant people being diagnosed. Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy include fluid retention, increased weight gain, and hormonal fluctuations.Most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome occur during the last few months of pregnancy, but if you experienced carpal tunnel syndrome in previous pregnancies or experienced it outside of pregnancy, your symptoms may present earlier.With carpal tunnel syndrome, you may have the following symptoms:Burning sensations in the hand, wrist, and armDifficulty grasping objectsNumb handsPain in the hand, wrist, and fingers“Pins and needles” in the fingers and handsNumbness in your fingers, especially the thumb, index, and middle fingersRadiating pain in your shoulders, neck, and armSwelling in the hand and fingersNumbness in Legs, Back, and ButtocksIt’s common to experience lower back pain during pregnancy, and sometimes this pain radiates down your legs and buttocks, especially if pressure is put on your nerves.Numbness and tingling in your legs, back, and buttocks during pregnancy are usually due to:Fluid retentionHormones such as relaxin that cause your ligaments to loosenPressure from your growing uterus and compressed organsWeight gainAll of this pressure, loosening of ligaments, excess weight, and fluid retention can put a real strain on your body. Your muscles may become strained and your posture may change.If you find yourself leaning forward or backward more often, your back muscles have to work harder, which can lead to soreness and pain. You are also more vulnerable to exercise-related back injuries when you are pregnant.Many people will experience hypermobility in their joints during pregnancy as well due to the hormone relaxin. The problem is that all of this opening up and mobility can cause instability in your body and lead to shooting pain, tenderness, numbness, and tingling in your lower back or legs.Sciatica in pregnancyProbably the most common cause of tingling and numbness in the back, legs, and buttocks during pregnancy is sciatica, which is caused by a pinched sciatic nerve.This condition develops in the third trimester of pregnancy and is usually mild, but can be debilitating for some people. Symptoms may include:Pain, burning, and achingSensations on one side of the body, but sometimes affects both sidesSymptoms that manifest in the lower back, hips, buttocks, and travel down the legTingling sensations, numbness, and muscle weaknessMeralgia paresthetica in pregnancyWhile mild lower back pain is a relatively common pregnancy condition, a condition called meralgia paresthetica may develop as well. Meralgia paresthetica results from pressure on the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN), which is a nerve on the front and side of your thigh.Symptoms may include:Aching and soreness in thigh that may radiate to the outer kneeNumbness and burning sensationsA “stabbing” feeling in the thigh regionSymptoms that are usually confined to one leg (though sometimes the buttocks area is involved as well)Treatment for Numbness During PregnancyGeneral numbness and tingling of the hands, fingers, back, legs, and buttocks during pregnancy can be treated by a gentle massage, making sure to vary your sleep positions (using a pregnancy body pillow helps a lot), soothing baths, and stretching.Additionally, your health care provider may recommend treatment for your specific condition once diagnosed.Treatments for carpal tunnel syndromeApplication of ice packs to reduce swellingElevating your hands and wristsPregnancy-friendly pain medicineUse of a wrist brace or splint to keep your wrist in a neutral positionTreatments for sciatica and meralgia parestheticaHeating padsMassage therapyPhysical therapyPregnancy-friendly pain medicineSleep on the side of your body that is not affectedWarm showers or baths When To See Your Health Care ProviderMost cases of numbing and tingling in pregnancy are normal and common. However, any new symptoms should be discussed with your health care provider. If you experience other symptoms along with the numbness and tingling such as vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain, contractions, severe headaches, blurry vision, or severe swelling, you should call your health care provider right away.
AnemiaIron-deficiency anemia during pregnancy (and outside of pregnancy, too) can cause restless leg syndrome which may be accompanied by tingling, or a “creepy-crawly” feeling in the legs.B12 deficiency during pregnancy can cause nerve damage, which can lead to numbness and tingling in the hands, as well as general muscle weakness, trouble walking, memory loss, and mental health concerns.PreeclampsiaPreeclampsia is a serious pregnancy condition that can be associated with severe swelling, which might be a contributing factor to numbness and tingling in pregnancy. If your tingling and numbing sensations are accompanied by vision disturbances, severe headaches, reduced urine output, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, or seizures, call your health care provider right away.DiabetesIf you have are pregnant have preexisting (or pregestational) diabetes, poorly controlled blood sugar might lead to nerve damage, which sometimes causes symptoms of tingling and numbing in your hands and feet. If you have already been diagnosed with the condition, these symptoms may be a sign that your diabetes isn’t being managed properly. Talk to your health care provider about tingling and numbing, or any other new symptoms that may be relevant to your diabetes diagnosis and management. Key TakeawayTake comfort in knowing that while numbness and tingling in the fingers, hands, legs, back, and buttocks may be extremely bothersome at times, it's not usually serious, and will likely subside once your baby arrives. Although you should take every new pregnancy symptom seriously, numbness and tingling alone will rarely indicate a more serious condition.
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