What is a period cramp, anyway?

Period Cramps and Labor Pains are Two of a Kind

Cozy on the couch with a heat pack today? Don’t you dare call it “rotting,” your body is working!!

Did you know that menstrual cramps are the same sensations associated with uterine contractions during labor and childbirth?

Contractions, whether during menstruation or childbirth, happen because the uterus is muscular, and it’s getting a major workout! The muscle layers of the uterus contract upward and inward in order to dilate the cervix, which is mostly connective tissue. It will usually open less than 1cm during menstruation, and around 10cm during childbirth.

Some pain, however, isn’t always as simple as a contracting muscle. For example, did you know that some back pain during menstruation is caused by overstretching one of the several ligaments holding the uterus and cervix in place?

There’s also a hormone called relaxin at work before your period starts that softens the cervix and prevents contractions by causing muscles and ligaments in the pelvis to loosen. Relaxin is produced by a temporary organ (!!) inside of the ovary during ovulation, peaking right before menstruation but continues to increase if you become pregnant. This hormone, when tested on rats, seemed to help rats control pain. I can’t help but wonder if this “pain control” hormone dropping and menstruation starting at the same time might be the reason cramping feels so intense. Not claiming any science behind it, just a thought.

Our bodies are so beautifully complex, aren’t they? To someone like me who is not at all a scientist, fueling an ever-burning curiosity about my body is a great way to stay present in mine. Thankful, too! A cramp is not just a cramp, it’s a sign that there’s a whole lot of labor going on inside of my body. Cheers to the hard work we do even from the couch with a heat pack 🙂