One in Five Moms Face Pelvic Pain: A Journey from Wheelchair to Wellness

Rebecca Middleton's experience with pregnancy was much more challenging than she expected. She had no idea that she would end up needing a wheelchair for the last three months before her baby was born. During her first trimester, Rebecca struggled with nausea and sickness, which is common for many pregnant women. However, things became more difficult when she started to develop severe pelvic pain about four months into her pregnancy. Rebecca explained, 'I could hardly walk. I had always had some problems with lower back pain, but nothing this serious, and it got worse very quickly. ' After she told her doctor about the pain, she was referred to an NHS physiotherapist and was eventually diagnosed with a severe case of pelvic girdle pain, also known as symphysis pubic dysfunction. This condition affects the joints in the pelvis and is a common symptom of pregnancy, impacting one in five expectant mothers to some degree. Rebecca was frightened and worried about her future. She wondered if she would ever walk again, how she would give birth, and how she would care for her baby. After her child was born, Rebecca's pain lessened, but she still struggled with basic tasks like walking, lifting her son, or pushing a pram. She said, 'I was disabled for seven months and needed someone to help me all the time. ' She found it very difficult to do the things that mothers usually do to care for their babies, and it was a very challenging period for her. Before her pregnancy, Rebecca had never heard of pelvic girdle pain. Since her experience, she now volunteers for The Pelvic Partnership, a charity that helps raise awareness and supports women with this condition. The charity says that pelvic girdle pain is treatable if the right steps are taken. They advise women to seek help as soon as symptoms start, get hands-on individualised treatment like manual therapy, and ask for a referral to NHS physiotherapy from their GP or midwife. If support is not offered at first, the charity suggests going back to the GP or midwife and asking for a second opinion. They can also refer women to maternal mental health support to help manage the emotional impact of living with pelvic girdle pain. Dr Nighat Arif, a women's health specialist, says that greater awareness and early assessment could prevent patients like Rebecca from needing wheelchairs or crutches. She explains, 'Without early identification and a good understanding of the female body, some women are left with negative effects for life. ' Victoria Roberton, who is the co-ordinator at The Pelvic Partnership, is another example of how awareness can make a difference. Like Rebecca, Victoria did not know what pelvic girdle pain was when she started experiencing it during her first pregnancy. She tried to stay active as advised and was referred to NHS physiotherapy sessions online and by phone, but found the pain getting worse as her pregnancy progressed. 'They gave us exercises and stretches to do, but by that point I couldn't do any of them. It was too painful,' she said. Eventually, even sitting became uncomfortable for Victoria, and she was mostly homebound until her baby was born. The pain eased after her daughter was born, but when she became pregnant with her second child, she experienced the same problem again. Victoria decided to pay for a private physiotherapist because the NHS wait for a referral was long. The physiotherapist gave her a full assessment and hands-on treatment, including joint mobilisation, and taught her different ways to move her body to avoid aggravating her hip joints, which helped ease the pain. Victoria still deals with some pelvic girdle pain today, four years later, but her second pregnancy was much easier to manage because she understood her condition and how to handle it.

Rebecca's second pregnancy was also a much more positive experience. This time, she knew she was at risk of pelvic girdle pain and was able to have it treated throughout her pregnancy before it became disabling. She made a full recovery from pelvic girdle pain just two months after giving birth, compared to two years for her first child. Rebecca says, 'I'm probably in better shape now than I was before either of my children because I now know what caused that pelvic girdle pain and have had it fully treated and resolved with manual therapy. ' She describes her first experience as 'five years of hell' because of the pain and the lack of knowledge and understanding about the condition.

Pelvic girdle pain is a common issue for pregnant women, but with early treatment and support, it can be managed and even resolved. Rebecca and Victoria hope that by sharing their stories, more women will learn about pelvic girdle pain, seek help early, and get the support they need to care for themselves and their babies.