Functional recovery after delivery is achieved by most women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain

1. Most women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain regained meaningful function by 4 months after delivery, and this improvement was largely maintained at 3 years.

2. A greater number of positive pelvic provocation tests at 4 months after delivery predicted persistent pelvic girdle pain at 3 years and may help identify patients who need closer follow-up.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent) 

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is common in pregnancy and can limit mobility, work capacity, and participation in daily activities. Because some women continue to have symptoms long after delivery, this study examined longer-term functional recovery after physiotherapy for pregnancy-related PGP. The authors performed a 3-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial comparing acupuncture with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in 113 pregnant women with clinically verified PGP in Sweden. Women were followed at baseline, after 5 weeks of treatment, at 4 months postpartum, and again at 3 years postpartum. The primary outcome was the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), a person-centred measure based on activities selected by each participant; secondary outcomes included self-reported PGP, Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire scores, pain-related concern, and the prognostic value of pelvic provocation tests. At 3 years postpartum, the mean PSFS score was 8.64, and 45.6% of participants reported complete return to baseline activities. Functional scores improved significantly over time, with no significant difference between acupuncture and TENS. Higher pain-related concern and higher Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire scores were associated with worse function. At 4 months postpartum, each additional positive pelvic provocation test nearly tripled the odds of self-reported PGP at 3 years (OR 2.98, 95% CI 1.26–7.05). Overall, most women recovered function by 4 months and maintained it at 3 years, but persistent positive provocation tests may help identify patients who need closer postpartum follow-up.

Click here to read this study in BMJ Open

Image: PD

©2026 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. All rights reserved. No works may be reproduced without expressed written consent from 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. Inquire about licensing here. No article should be construed as medical advice and is not intended as such by the authors or by 2 Minute Medicine, Inc.