Pelvic and back pain are common complaints during pregnancy. There are different conditions that can occur during pregnancy which may lead you to experience pain in your back or pelvis, or for some lucky expectant mums, both. However, you shouldn’t just learn to deal with it. There are some things you can do to reduce your pelvic pain and joint pain during pregnancy, and there are treatment options available to help.

What causes pelvic and back pain in pregnancy?
Some back and pelvic pain during pregnancy can be due to the extra weight a pregnant woman is carrying in the front of her body. You may experience back strain as a result of your growing belly. However, one common condition behind pelvic and back pain in pregnancy is pelvic girdle pain.
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP), otherwise called symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), is the term given in pregnancy to a collection of uncomfortable symptoms, resulting from misaligned or stiff pelvic joints. The misalignment of the joints at either the front or back of your pelvis can cause severe pain in the pelvic area. The good news is that PGP is not harmful to your baby – but it can make pregnancy very uncomfortable for some women.
Symptoms of pelvic girdle pain
The symptoms of PGP can differ between women, but in general it presents itself in some or all of the following ways:
- Pain across the pubic bone
- Lower back pain, across one or both sides
- Pain in the perineum