Many women who experience pregnancy-induced restless legs syndrome (RLS) find that it is temporary. Symptoms often peak in the third trimester, around the seventh or eighth month, and typically resolve after delivery or within a few weeks postpartum. However, for women who already have RLS, pregnancy can worsen their symptoms.
Most RLS medications have not been thoroughly studied in pregnant women, making it difficult to assess potential risks to the baby. Always consult a doctor or midwife before taking any supplements, such as iron, magnesium, vitamin B12, or folate. Depending on the levels in prenatal vitamins, additional supplementation may or may not be necessary.
Approximately two-thirds of pregnant women with RLS develop it specifically due to pregnancy. Risk factors include a family history of RLS (increasing risk by eight times), a history of RLS in a previous pregnancy (54 times higher risk), prior episodes of RLS (13 times higher risk), and low red blood cell levels (doubling the risk).
While pregnancy-related RLS usually resolves after childbirth, it may indicate an increased long-term risk. Women who experience RLS during pregnancy are three times more likely to develop chronic RLS later in life. The strong genetic component among affected women suggests that pregnancy may trigger symptoms in those already predisposed.
The only thing that's been working for me is getting out of bed and either walking around for a bit or just doing squats right by the bed.
I’ve also found that engaging the affected muscles helps. Since my RLS is in my hips, I contract and hold those muscles for about ten seconds, then relax and repeat the process four or five times. This seems to reduce the discomfort.
Stretching is another effective strategy. I do yoga stretches that target my entire leg, from my hips down to my toes. A thorough stretch before bed—at least five to ten minutes—makes a huge difference. If I skip it, I struggle to fall asleep.
Chronic sleep loss during pregnancy as a determinant of stress: impact on pregnancy outcome.