Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP) can be a severe and painful condition affecting up to half of all women and birthing people during and/or after pregnancy.
PGP can cause pain and affect your physical mobility, but at the same time there may also be mental health impacts of PGP and it is important to try and get support with both your physical and mental health as you manage your PGP.
If you think you have PGP, please talk to your GP or midwife about your symptoms and how it is affecting your life. This can help them understand the impact of your PGP and encourage them to get you the care, support and treatment you need.
You can use our free toolkit to help you describe your pain and how your PGP is affecting your daily life.
Talking about your pelvic girdle pain
It is always worth talking to your GP or midwife about your pain in the first instance. They can do several things to help you manage your pain during and after pregnancy, including:
If you aren’t offered the above support, please go back to your GP or midwife and ask for a second opinion.
You can also contact the Pelvic Partnership team to discuss your next steps.
Yes!
If you are able to pay for private treatment you can see a private physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor who can treat your PGP using hands-on individualised treatment, including manual therapy.
These manual therapists use different hands-on approaches to treat your PGP using manipulation and mobilisation of the pelvic joints and soft tissues.
You can find a practitioner located near to you by heading to our list of recommended practitioners here.
All practitioners on this list have been recommended by at least two other women who have had successful treatment for their PGP.
Unfortunately the costs of private treatment can be high (approximately £50-£80 for the initial appointment).
We have heard from many women who are unable to afford the cost of private treatment and haven’t been able to get the right treatment on the NHS.
The Frederick Andrew Trust offers grants to women to access a course of manual therapy. It is worth contacting them to see if they are able to help you cover the cost of your treatment.
