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Severe Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I have been suffering with fairly severe pelvic pain during the third trimester or my pregnancy. It started around the beginning of month 7 and is now very severe at 36 weeks and 1 day. I have seen a physiotherapist who diagnosed me with something called Pelvic Girdle Pain.

I am having a hard time getting my doctor to acknowledge my fears surrounding the postnatal period. Whenever I bring the issue up she responds by telling me simply that the longest she has seen anyone suffer with this is 1 month and that I should stop worrying. I have done some research online and have seen many people who have suffered with it for much longer. She seems to acknowledge the problem, but I feel like she believes I am making a mountain out of a molehill (despite having to walk with a cane if I can walk at all some days).

Is PGP something that myself and my doctor should be more concerned about? Do you know what the typical rate of recovery is?

Thanks!

ANSWER

What she is thinking is that most such cases do resolve with delivery, and let's hope you are one of those! Some women benefit from a maternity support belt that basically binds the pelvic bones (both before and after delivery) and/or physical therapy.

Not having met you, I can't predict what your course will be, but would encourage you to think positive thoughts anyway. You don't want something like this to interfere with feeling good about what a great job you are doing to grow this healthy baby, which is much more important. I know it's hard when things like this are going on to remember what the purpose is, which is to help your baby to grow in the best way possible. You go girl!

-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.

Cynthia Flynn

Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.