Most hospitals and midwifery-led units (MLU) have a range of facilities available such as a birthing pool, beanbags, birthing balls etc, and these can make life much easier if you have PGP as they support you in keeping active and managing your pain. One of the main aims is to remain mobile and avoid lying on your back with your legs in stirrups, which is when most strain can be put on your pelvis and seems to be the cause of more long-term problems for many women.
MLUs may be freestanding (i.e. not on a main hospital site) or alongside a main hospital unit, although they may be on a different floor from the main labour ward, also known as an obstetric unit (OU). They provide the same care for low-risk women as an OU in that a doctor will not be involved in your care, but the difference is that a doctor is not present in the MLU. The environment tends to be more homely in an MLU, and they have the facilities to deal with an emergency, but do not have access to epidurals, and should you need an emergency delivery with forceps, ventouse or by caesarean section, you would need to be transferred to an OU, usually by ambulance.
For most women at low risk of complications in labour (which is around 45% of women), MLUs offer the best outcomes for you and your baby. It is recommended in the Intrapartum Care NICE guidelines that for women who have their baby outside of hospital, there is less chance of complications which would require intervention and this is therefore a better experience for women with PGP.
Water birth can be particularly helpful for women with PGP as it allows you to move around easily and change position, as well as giving you the normal pain-relieving effects of water.
Content reviewed and updated in 2017.
Charity Registered in England: 1100373
The Pelvic Partnership consists of volunteers who have had Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) and wish to support other women. We aim to pass on information based on both research and the experience of other women with PGP. We are not medical professionals and cannot offer medical advice and the information we provide should not take the place of advice and guidance from your own health-care providers. Material on this site is provided for information and support purposes only.
© Copyright Pelvic Partnership 2018. Website content reviewed and updated: 2016 - 2017
This website was built by Jigsaw Web Design Ltd