WTF is 'Lightning Crotch' (and Why Does It Happen)?

It happens to many women at some point during pregnancy: They’re going about their everyday business when a sudden pain shoots through the pelvis or vagina, then disappears quickly. This phenomenon is a strange but common sensation nicknamed "lightning crotch."

“The feeling was sharp and surprising like the baby moved around, and some body part pressed up against a nerve," Hannah Friedland, 32, a mother of a 9-month-old daughter in Philadelphia, explained. "It was like an electric shock almost—a sharp jab that, if it happened at night, would wake me up. When it happened while I was walking or standing, I'd have to stop and breathe.”

This very real symptom isn't often discussed outside of pregnancy forums and doctor’s offices. However, lightning crotch became newsworthy earlier in 2021 when Hillary Duff said on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" she experienced it during her third pregnancy, describing the sensation as “shooting pains in my vagina.”

Okay, so is lightning crotch something to worry about? And can you make it stop? No one wants to wonder if their baby is actually The Flash.

What is lightning crotch?

Gracie Arnold, 33, a mother of two daughters, ages 5 and 2, in Kansas City, described the pain as if the baby was playing her nerves like a guitar. While lightning crotch is anything but comfortable, you may take comfort in the fact that it is normal and does not mean anything is wrong with you, your baby or the pregnancy.

“Pressure from the baby against the cervix itself or nerves in the pelvis is the most likely cause," said Lucky Sekhon, MD, fertility specialist and board-certified OB-GYN in New York. It could be precipitated by the baby changing position.

Lightning crotch doesn’t actually have a scientific name and isn't widely studied, but anecdotally it seems to happen particularly in the third trimester. "If you have persistent pain and especially if that pain is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, excessive discharge or a feeling of leaking or vaginal bleeding, you should consult your doctor to make sure there isn't something else going on,” Sekhon said.

Because the sensation can be severe and hard to place, many people, especially those who are pregnant for the first time, may mistake lightning crotch for contractions or round ligament pains, but it is its own separate pain (fun!) and does not necessarily mean labor is imminent. Contractions typically feel like a severe cramp, whereas round ligament is more of a stretching or pulling sensation than a zap, like lightning crotch.

Can I stop lightning crotch from happening?

This painful phenomenon is pretty much out of your control. Hannah said she experienced it mostly while she was active and the baby was moving, while Gracie remembered feeling lightning crotch mostly while lying down. “At the end of the third trimester, I spent pretty much 95 percent of my waking hours lying on the couch watching TV," Gracie said. Lightning crotch, like lightning, requires very specific conditions but can also strike at any time.

There’s no method that 100 percent halts or cures the pain, Sekhon said. But she advises that “you can try simple measures to alleviate the pressure and discomfort of pregnancy, which may help reduce the frequency and/or severity of these episodes."

Regular exercise, rest, pregnancy massages and a support brace can help ease any discomfort. Hannah was told by her OB to change positions to help the baby move off whatever she was pressing on, which was helpful.

Many aspects of pregnancy get unsavory nicknames (mucus plug, anyone?), and lightning crotch is no exception. But while the shooting pain is unsettling and can be quite painful, you may find solace in the fact that it’s a common occurrence and typically doesn’t mean you're going into labor. So don't rush out of the door at the first sudden shock. You still have time to pack that hospital bag.