Pregnancy is an interesting and unique time, during which, significant changes occur to a woman’s body. To adapt to the growing baby our bodies change the way they transfer load. The pelvis has been referred to as the ‘keystone’ of the body and is responsible for the transfer of load between the lower body and the trunk. The way the pelvis transfers load is forced to change during pregnancy and unfortunately this leads to approximately 50% of women experiencing pelvic pain during pregnancy.
Essentially, a woman’s body must change and grow to adapt to the growing baby. Our trunk, which includes the back, pelvis, abdomen and ribcage, has 85 muscles that work together to achieve dynamic stability. They guide and control movements at each of the joints.
When a woman is pregnant, there is a:
These four factors most commonly contribute to the development of pelvic pain in pregnancy. While these changes happen to all pregnant women, some are able to develop strategies that effectively compensate for these changes. Often when the compensatory strategies aren’t as effective, structures will become overloaded and that is when pain can develop.
Due to the changes that happen during pregnancy (some of which are listed above), special care must be taken when treating pregnancy-related pelvic pain. In my opinion, the key to managing pelvic pain during pregnancy is early intervention. This may be something as simple as taking Panadol to relieve symptoms, or discussing your symptoms with your primary carer (midwife, GP or obstetrician) and seeking appropriate intervention. Studies in Australia have shown that 70% of women with pelvic pain report it to their primary carer, and only 25% seek treatment to manage these symptoms. It is important to note that while many of the factors that cause pelvic pain aren’t modifiable, there are some things that can be done to assist in the management of pelvic pain in pregnancy. These include;
As pregnancy is often uncomfortable even without pelvic pain, minimising any discomfort is an important factor. We also know that managing pelvic pain during pregnancy is important to ensure you manage well physically and emotionally post-partum.
One in two pregnant women will experience pregnancy-related pelvic pain. For majority of these women, it will be manageable and will settle early in the post-partum period. The most important thing to remember is there are treatment options and support garments which can assist in managing these symptoms. Seeking early advice and intervention is important, as while pelvic pain during pregnancy is common it can be managed and reduced. It is also often easier to establish a successful management plan before the pain becomes excessive.
If you’re interested in booking an appointment with one of our team members, contact our clinic today and we’ll be happy to find time for a consultation.
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