Research project Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP), previously referred to as symphysis pubis dysfunction, is a common condition affecting many pregnant women. For most, the pain resolves after childbirth, but for some women it persists for months or even years, affecting everyday life, workability, and overall well-being. In this project, we aim to increase understanding of how PPGP develops over time and why it leads to long-term problems for some women.
The aim of this project is to conduct a pilot study in preparation for a larger longitudinal study on PPGP. The pilot focuses on feasibility and methodological development, including participant recruitment, dropout, adherence, and the use of digital data collection via web-based questionnaires and short message service (SMS). Findings from the pilot study will be used to optimise study design, logistics, and data collection procedures ahead of a future full-scale research project.
Pelvic and low back pain are common during pregnancy. While symptoms resolve after childbirth for most women, a substantial proportion experience persistent pain that can last for years and negatively affect quality of life, work participation, and health. Despite the high prevalence of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP), limited knowledge exists about when the pain begins, how it develops, and why some women go on to experience long-term symptoms.
This project aims to test and prepare a larger study that will follow pregnant women over time to better understand how PPGP develops during pregnancy.
The project is conducted as a pilot study in which pregnant women are recruited at gestational weeks 12–14 through specialist prenatal care in northern Sweden and via social media. Participants are followed until gestational week 20 and are regularly asked to respond to questions about pain, function, workability, and well-being.
Data are collected digitally using mobile phones and web-based questionnaires. The study evaluates how well recruitment, follow-up, and data collection work in practice, as well as participants’ experiences of taking part in the study.
The project provides important knowledge on how a future full-scale study can be designed in an efficient, sustainable, and participant-friendly way. In the longer term, the research may contribute to earlier identification of women at risk of persistent pelvic pain and support the development of more individualised and evidence-based care during and after pregnancy.
The research findings will be published in scientific journals and presented at national and international conferences during 2026–2027. Results will also be communicated continuously through this website.
