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Pelvic girdle pain in Scotland survey

Find out more about our advocacy work in Scotland, led by our Trustee Angeline O'Connor.

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In 2024 our Trustee Angeline O’Connor asked women and birthing people in Scotland to complete a short survey on their experience of pelvic girdle pain, as part of her ongoing advocacy efforts with the Scottish Government. Please find a short summary of these survey results below.

Demographics of those completing the survey:

  • Most respondents were based in Glasgow (10) and Edinburgh (8)
  • 97% of respondents were postnatal, 3% of respondents were pregnant

Engagement with healthcare practitioners:

  • Most respondents were diagnosed by their midwife (12) or their manual therapist (11)
  • 71% of respondents did not feel supported by their midwifery team
  • 65% of respondents felt they were not taken seriously

Recovery from pelvic girdle pain:

  • Importantly, 61% of respondents have now recovered from pelvic girdle pain.

 

Feedback from respondents

Angeline also asked respondents to share their experience of PGP and treatment, if their PGP was taken into consideration before and during labour, how it affected their mental health, and what they wished had been different. The comments shared by respondents are a confronting assessment of current treatment of pelvic girdle pain in Scotland.

 

“I was left unable to walk, I couldn’t look after myself, every maternity appointment my husband had to attend to assist me in urine samples as I physically was unable to carry this task out.”
“Very disappointing. I was just repeatedly told that it was very early to be experiencing PGP, and when I accessed my notes it hadn’t even been recorded that I was suffering from PGP.”
“Traumatic. I felt alone, helpless, unsupported, neglected and angry.”
“Lack of mobility messed up my gestational diabetes and increased my anxiety. I felt as a pregnant mother I wasn’t a safe place for my baby to live.”
“I became extremely depressed, isolated at home, unable to move, work or do chores. So reliant on my partner. Resentful of my unborn baby. I was in so much pain, it was unbelievable.”

To discuss these findings in more detail, you can reach out to Angeline directly on her social media, @pgpandme or get in touch via our co-ordinator:

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From 6th-13th October, all donations will be doubled through the Big Give's Women and Girls Match Fund. Donate from 12pm Tuesday and make double the difference!

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