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| |    Leg Cramps in Pregnancy by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. reviewed by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. A woman I know told me this story: One night in her ninth month, she woke up screaming with pain. Her husband sleepily jumped up, grabbed their packed suitcase, and started ushering her off to the hospital. But it wasn't labor, it was a leg cramp! Leg cramps provide some of the most painful experiences of pregnancy. What causes leg cramps? Leg cramps are painful spasms of the calf muscles, usually lasting a few miserable minutes. It is not known why some women get leg cramps during pregnancy. Many women find that the cramp begins when they stretch in bed or point their toes. What can be done? Although calcium, magnesium, potassium, and quinine have been recommended in the past as prevention for leg cramps, none has been shown to be effective. Putting a bolster or pillow at the foot of your bed can sometimes be helpful in preventing you from starting to point your toes. Some pregnant women find that stretching before going to bed at night helps. Once a cramp starts, stretching the muscle by flexing the ankle upwards and massaging the calf can help diminish the cramp. As a general rule, leg pain that doesn't go away in a matter of a few hours, or that is accompanied by leg swelling or difficulty walking, should be evaluated by a doctor.
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