What is pregnancy-related pelvic pain?

Pregnancy-related pelvic pain is common and causes pain in the pelvic area during and after pregnancy. It can also cause pain in the hips, legs, and lower back. Often, the pain improves after birth, but sometimes it can last for years. There are various treatment options, some we already recommend, and some that are newer and still being tested.

What are health research studies and why are they important?

Before recommending any treatment, it’s important to know that it works, that it’s safe, and whether it’s as good or better than existing treatments. Research studies (or clinical trials) help find these things out. These studies can test different treatments, not just medicines. For example, they might test pelvic belts, types of exercise, or special mattresses for people with pregnancy-related pelvic pain.

What are we trying to find out?

For research studies to work, we need people to take part in them. If not enough people join or stay in a study, the study might be too small and the results may not be reliable. Sometimes, studies can’t continue if there aren’t enough people to take part.

We are trying to understand why it can be hard for people with pregnancy-related pelvic pain to take part in research. We want to find out what stops people from joining and what could make it easier for them to take part.

What would taking part involve?

Taking part means having a one-time conversation with the researcher, Jasmine Darley. This could be over Teams, by phone, or in person if that’s easier for you. The conversation would last about 30–45 minutes. You’d be asked questions like what might make you want to join a research study or what might stop you from joining. We’d also ask what we could do to make studies easier and better for you. The conversation would be recorded and I might take some notes while we talk. I will make the information you give me anonymous and use it to develop some recommendations for how we should be designing our studies. Any personal information about you would be kept on a secure server and never shared. Please see participant information for more about this.

Am I right for this study?

To take part in this study you will need to be:

1.     Somebody that currently has pregnancy-related pelvic pain, or has had it in the past (doesn’t matter how long ago it was!).

2.     Aged 18 years or older.

3.     Living in the U.K.