What You Need to Know about Pregnancy-related Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP)

What is PGP?

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is discomfort and pain in the pelvis and lower back area during or after pregnancy. It is common and happens to 1 of 5 expecting women. It happens when your joints move unevenly to the back or front of the pelvis and the pressure on your pelvic when you’re growing a new life and change the way you stand and sit. These changes may put more strain on your pelvic joints and cause the pain. It is also known as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). Although you may feel pain most of the time, it won’t harm your baby.

You are more likely to have PGP if you have old pelvis injury before pregnancy, overweight during pregnancy, delayed labor or multiple births.

What causes PGP?

Let’s get a short view of the pelvis structure. The front side of the pelvis is called the “symphysis pubis” joint. Normally this joint is fixed and strengthened by dense ligaments and does not loosen easily. When you get pregnant, two hormones called Relaxin and Progesterone are released to allow muscles and ligaments near the pelvis to relax and your stable joints to loosen up to accommodate the growing fetus and prepare for delivery. Also, it can cause ligaments that support the spine to loosen, causing instability and pain. Then, your birth canal can expand during the labor.

Generally, the distance between the pubic bones on both sides is about 4-5mm, but it will increase by at least 2 to 3mm during pregnancy due to hormonal effects. It is normal that the distance should be less than 9mm. Severe pain may occur if the distance is more than 1 cm, which is diagnosed as Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD). Fortunately, the pain resolves naturally within a few months after delivery but it may occur again in your subsequent pregnancies.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptom is pain and discomfort in the pubic and groin region. Some pregnant mothers may suffer from back pain, pelvic pain, lumbar pain or hip pain; even the clicking or grinding in the pelvic joints. It may also extend down to one or both sides of the thigh or between the legs, buttocks and groin. The symptoms become worse when walking, going up and down the stairs, opening the legs, or turning over in the bed. You may feel the pain obviously at night as it may affect your sleep quality.

How to Deal with PGP?

Here are some tips to help you relieve and prevent the pain:

• Do some exercises to strengthen your stomach, hip, back and pelvic floor.
• Keep your knee together when you get in and out of the car and bed.
• Put on a pregnancy support belt to lift up your bump and get back support.
• Wear a pair of flat but supportive shoes.
• Sleep on your side and put a pillow between your legs and put less pressure on your back.
• Take a warm bath before going to bed.
• Keep fit but get plenty of rest.
• Avoid standing or sitting for a long period.

Talk with your OB-GYN doctors if the symptoms continue or become serious. Do rest assured, you can have vaginal birth even if you suffer from PGP. Since you may suffer from PGP again in your next pregnancies, you are advised to do more abdominal and pelvic floor muscles exercise to strengthen your pelvic.