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Pelvic NI 2023 Survey

Pelvic NI 2023 Survey

Results from our latest survey of women and birthing people experiencing pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP).

SurveyResearch2023

Each year Pelvic NI undertakes an annual survey of women and birthing people with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP).

These surveys enable us to get a better idea of the situation facing women with PGP, how their PGP affects them and their access to information and treatment.

77.4%

of respondents were currently experiencing PGP

3%

could walk normally without pain (down from 6% in 2022)

18%

need mobility aids like crutches or wheelchair (up from 13% in 2022)

PGP significantly affected women’s ability to perform key daily activities:

  • 82% - Exercising
  • 81% - Turning over in bed
  • 67% - Being intimate with their partner
  • 65% - Climbing the stairs
  • 63% - Working

Healthcare Support

19%

felt supported by their GP or midwife (up slightly from 17% in 2022)

Manual Therapy Access

86%

had not been offered manual therapy through their health service (up from 80% in 2022)

57% of respondents had experienced a problem with their mental health during or after pregnancy (down from 63% in 2022)


These findings are unfortunately not surprising and support our discussions with women with PGP on our support services. We will use this information to shape our ongoing policy and advocacy effort to improve care, support and treatment for women with PGP.

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Fundraise for us: Join Team Pelvic NI

Fundraise for us: Join Team Pelvic NI

Find out more about our new partnership with Run for charity to help connect more supporters with fundraising challenges.

FundraisingPartnershipEvents

We have partnered with Run for Charity, an organisation that can connect YOU with hundreds of sports challenges taking place across Northern Ireland and the UK.

Team Partnership

Join Team Pelvic NI

Help raise funds for Pelvic NI, so we can keep providing much-needed information and support to women and birthing people with pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain.

Wherever you are in Northern Ireland, we can secure places in short and long distance running events, inflatable events and fun runs.

Check out some popular available events below or click the link to find an event near you:

Marathon Events

  • Dublin Marathon
  • Cork City Marathon
  • Manchester Marathon
  • Paris Marathon
  • Brighton Marathon

Half Marathon & Fun Runs

  • Dublin Half Marathon
  • London Landmarks Half
  • Hackney Half
  • Run Alton Towers

Challenge Events

  • Inflatable 5k series
  • Tough Mudder
  • Obstacle races
  • Virtual challenges

Join Our Fundraising Team

Ready to take on a challenge for Pelvic NI?


As a small charity we rely heavily on your donations and fundraising initiatives. Please consider taking on a challenge to #payitforward and help us help more women with PGP.

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Pelvic NI AGM - June 2023

Pelvic NI AGM - June 2023

Find out about our recent virtual Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 21st June 2023.

AGMMeeting2023

On Wednesday 21st June 2023 we held our virtual Annual General Meeting, inviting women with PGP, healthcare practitioners and our Committee.

As well as the AGM formalities, we also heard many stories from women with PGP and the findings from our latest survey.

To access the presentations from this meeting, please contact our co-ordinator at contact@pelvicni.org.

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Pelvic NI wins Heather Trickey Essay Prize

Pelvic NI wins Heather Trickey Essay Prize

We are winners of the 2022 Heather Trickey Essay Prize for our essays on pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP).

AwardEssaysRecognition

This is the second year of the Heather Trickey Essay Prize, an award in honour of Dr Heather Trickey who recently died after a long career working to improve health and care for women. The essay prize could address any topic in the field of women’s reproductive health.

We are proud and delighted to have been awarded this prize, which reflects the importance of the work that we do with PGP, and marks twenty years of hard work from our team to offer support and information to women with PGP and their families.

We are so grateful for this opportunity to shine a light on PGP and work collaboratively with the judges and benefit from their expertise in women’s health and research, to find new ways to offer women with PGP the support and treatment they need to become pain-free as well as promoting further research into the treatment of PGP.

"We are proud and delighted to have been awarded this prize, which reflects the importance of the work that we do with PGP, and marks twenty years of hard work from our team to offer support and information to women with PGP and their families."

— Síle Ní Bhriain

Chair of Pelvic NI

"After researching Heather's life and recognising her commitment to women's health issues, it is an honour to be recognised for our essays. In my essay I drew on my own experience and the experiences of hundreds of other women through my @pgpandme account, to give a voice to those who are too often overlooked."

— Áine Ní Chonchúir

Trustee of Pelvic NI

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the judges: Simon Brindle, Clare Murphy, Jess Figuras and Professor Julia Sanders.

To read both essays, please click on the below links or read online at heathertrickeyprize.org.

Explore Women’s Stories

Read women’s stories on their experiences of managing and recovering from pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP).

Read Women’s Stories


Thank you for your support.

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