Reframing beliefs and instiling facts for contemporary management of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain

Review written by Dr Sandy Hilton info

Key Points

  1. Despite the evidence to the contrary, clinicians continue to disseminate misleading and limiting information about pain in pregnancy.
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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) is common and affects up to 20% of pregnancies between 20-30 weeks gestation, and up to 50% of pregnancies before 20 weeks gestation (1). Left untreated, the loss of function in activities of daily living include disruption of sleep, loss of work, inability to complete normal self-care, inability to exercise at normal healthy levels or at all, and the inability to care for others which may include other family members and persist into the post-partum period. Disability from PPGP is increased in severity and duration for those with persistent symptoms (2).

The authors of this paper proposed that early identification and treatment of PPGP will decrease the disability and improve long-term outcomes.

Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain is common and affects up to 20% of pregnancies between 20-30 weeks gestation, and up to 50% of pregnancies before 20 weeks gestation.
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Clear and simple infographics such as those presented in this paper would be a large step towards improving maternal health.

THE CHALLENGE OF BIOMECHANICAL BIAS AND BELIEFS

The persistence in treating PPGP as a biomechanical flaw and ignoring the evidence of psychosocial and physiological factors is contributing to the prevalence and disability associated with pregnancy. Previous injury, a history of trauma, a history of low back pain,

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