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Aims: To describe the care needs of women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain based on the Caring Life-Course Theory., Design: A descriptive qualitative research design., Methods: Data were collected between November 2019 and February 2021 from 20 purposively selected pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain aged between 22 and 39 years in antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in Australia. Individual semi-structured interviews were recorded via a digital audio recorder and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis method was used to analyse the data., Findings: Five broad themes were identified: pain is an added burden to pregnancy; knowledge is power to own what happens to me; engaging in self-help; care from others is useful; and pain deserves more attention from healthcare professionals., Conclusion: Caring Life-Course Theory presented a useful and applicable scaffold for describing care needs of pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain. The study revealed experiencing pelvic girdle pain led to additional care needs during pregnancy, highlighting the importance of self-management strategies and an appreciation of care from others to assist women in limiting the effects of the pain. Participants identified the need for more information and attention from healthcare professionals to be able to better manage their condition., Impact: This study presents a comprehensive picture of the change in care needs triggered by experiencing pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy. The findings have the potential to facilitate better care provision by considering novel methods of delivery, such as information and communication technology, whilst acknowledging the value placed on credible and trusted sources. Knowledge acquired through this study may be used by nurses and midwives, along with other healthcare professionals, to enhance the provision of comprehensive care that is acceptable to women with pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) report diminished ability to perform physical activities and experience higher rates of mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, than pregnant women without PPGP. Despite these physical and psychological impacts, little is known about the lived experiences of PPGP amongst Australian women and the ways in which they cope. Situated within biographical disruption and social support theories, this study sought to gain a conceptual understanding of the experience and impact of PPGP on daily life, and how women cope with this condition during pregnancy., Methods: A qualitative research design, situated within a phenomenological framework, using individual, semi-structured interviews consisting of open-ended questions was used with a flexible and responsive approach. Purposive sampling of pregnant women attending a single hospital included 20 participants between 14 and 38 weeks gestation, classified with PPGP as per recommended guidelines, with a mean (SD) age of 31.37 (4.16) years. Thematic analysis was performed where interview data was transcribed, coded, grouped into meaningful categories and then constructed into broad themes., Results: Three themes were identified: 1. a transformed biography; 2. coping strategies; and 3. what women want. The pain experienced created a dramatic change in women's lives, making the pregnancy difficult to endure. Women utilised social support, such as family, to help them cope with pain, and a self-care approach to maintain a positive mindset and reduce stress. Although a few women received support from healthcare professionals, many reported a lack information on PPGP and limited societal recognition of the condition. Women wanted early education, personalised information and prompt referral to help them cope with PPGP., Conclusions: Findings from this study highlighted the complexity of living with PPGP as women attempted to deal with the unexpected impact on daily life by seeking support from partners and families, while also struggling with societal expectations. Although women with PPGP used a number of coping strategies, they sought greater support from healthcare professionals to effectively manage PPGP. These findings have important implications for the provision of health care to women living with PPGP., Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12618001423202 ., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Study Design: Cross-sectional study conducted between December 2017 and October 2019., Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) in Australia., Summary of Background Data: PPGP is a common condition worldwide yet the prevalence and associated risk factors are not known in Australia., Methods: A random sample of pregnant women (N = 780) of (mean [SD]) 31 (5) years of age between 14 and 38 weeks gestation attending ante-natal care in a tertiary referral hospital in Sydney, Australia was conducted. The main outcome measure was point-prevalence of PPGP as classified by recommended guidelines including a physical examination. A number of potential risk factors, including socio-demographic characteristics, country of birth, ethnicity, history of low back pain (LBP) and PPGP, family history of PPGP, occupational factors, and physical activity were investigated with logistic regression., Results: The point-prevalence of PPGP in a random sample of 780 Australian women was 44% with the odds of having PPGP increasing with each additional week of gestation (odds ratio [OR]) (OR 1.02). Increasing parity (P = 0.03, OR 1.15), country of birth (P = 0.03), and greater duration of time spent standing (P = 0.009, OR 1.06) were associated with PPGP. The strongest predictors of PPGP were previous LBP and/or PPGP both pregnancy (P < 0.001, OR 4.35) and not pregnancy related (P < 0.001, OR 2.24), and a family history of PPGP (P < 0.001, OR 3.76)., Conclusion: The prevalence of PPGP in Australian women was high with almost half the sample classified with PPGP, matching data reported worldwide. The identified risk factors associated with PPGP can be included in routine ante-natal care to screen women and identify those at risk of this common and disabling condition.Level of Evidence: 1., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Introduction: Pelvic girdle pain is commonly experienced during pregnancy and results in significant physical, psychosocial and work-related challenges. Few studies have investigated the lived experiences of pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain and their coping strategies. There is a need to develop a greater understanding of this prevalent condition among Australian women. Thus, this study seeks to gain information about the impact of pelvic girdle pain on daily life and how women cope with this condition during pregnancy., Methods and Analysis: A qualitative research design, situated within a phenomenological framework, is adopted. The participants will be invited to describe their lived experiences of pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, the impact on their daily life and the strategies they use to cope with the condition. A stratified purposive sample will be undertaken to ensure the sample provides information-rich cases representative of women with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. Face-to-face, individual, semistructured interviews will be conducted with participants at Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia. A solicited diary will be offered to any participants who may find attending the interview difficult. All participants will also be invited to attend a focus group session. The different methods of data collection used in this study will allow for triangulation, thereby increasing the trustworthiness of findings., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval has been granted by the Human Research Ethics Committees of Westmead Hospital, Sydney, and Western Sydney University, Sydney. Dissemination of results will be via journal articles and conference presentations., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPGP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder. Women with PPGP report difficulty performing everyday functional activities, such as standing and walking. However, the magnitude of the problem remains unknown in Australia. It is important to determine how many women are affected by this condition and the factors associated with PPGP as this will direct healthcare services to being able to better manage women during pregnancy. Thus, this study aims to determine the prevalence of PPGP and associated factors in a Western Sydney population., Methods and Analysis: This study is a cross-sectional study to be conducted at a single hospital in Australia. Participants will be over 18 years of age, between 14 and 38 weeks gestation and recruited randomly from all pregnant women attending antenatal care. Participants will have anthropomorphic measures recorded, such as height and body weight, and be asked to complete questionnaires about their current pregnancy, sociodemographic information, ethnoculture, occupational factors and participation in functional activities. The classification of PPGP will be made as per the published guidelines and will include a physical examination., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval has been granted by the Human Research Ethics Committees of Westmead Hospital, Sydney, and Western Sydney University, Sydney. Dissemination of results will be via journal articles and conference presentations., Trial Registration Number: ACTRN12617000904370., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)