Pelvic girdle pain affects the whole life—a qualitative interview study in Norway on women’s experiences with pelvic girdle pain after delivery

BMC Research Notes

Liv Fegran¹  Britt Stuge³  Jorun Engeset² 

[1] Sørlandet Hospital Research Unit, Post Box 416, NO-4604 Kristiansand, Norway;Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sørlandet Hospital, Post Box 416, NO-4604 Kristiansand, Norway;Department of Orthopaedics, Oslo University Hospital, Kirkeveien 166, NO-0407 Oslo, Norway

关键词: Hermeneutics;    Phenomenology;    Post-partum;    Pelvic girdle pain;   

Others  :  1127379
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-7-686

 received in 2014-03-12, accepted in 2014-09-29,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

The aim of this study was to explore how pelvic girdle pain after delivery influences women’s daily life in Norway. Knowledge about living with post-partum pelvic girdle pain is lacking.

Method

A phenomenological–hermeneutical design with qualitative semi-structured interviews was used. A strategic selection procedure was chosen to recruit participants from physiotherapy clinics and a regional hospital in Norway. Five women with clinically verified pelvic girdle pain after delivery were included. Data were imported into NVivo9 and analysed in three steps: naïve reading, structural analysis and comprehensive understanding of the text.

Results

Three themes influencing the women’s daily life were identified: 1) activity and pain, 2) lack of acknowledgment of pain and disability, and 3) changed roles. A daily life with pain and limited physical activity was difficult to accept and made some of the women feel discouraged, isolated and lonely. Despite this, the women had a positive attitude to their problems, which may have positively increased their ability to cope. The findings also revealed the importance of a reciprocal influence between the woman and her environment, and that social support was crucial.

Conclusions

Pelvic girdle pain may influence women’s lives for months and years after delivery. Health care professionals should appreciate and focus on the patient’s knowledge and skills. Understanding the daily experiences of women with pelvic girdle pain might help improve rehabilitation strategies for these patients.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Engeset et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Vleeming A, Albert HB, Östgaard HC, Sturesson B, Stuge B: European guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic girdle pain. Eur Spine J 2008, 17(6):794-819.
• [2]Albert HB, Godskesen M, Westergaard JG: Incidence of four syndromes of pregnancy-related pelvic joint pain. Spine 2002, 27(24):2831-2834.
• [3]Wu W, Meijer O, Uegaki K, Mens J, Van Dieen J, Wuisman P, Östgaard H: Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PPP), I: terminology, clinical presentation, and prevalence. Eur Spine J 2004, 13(7):575-589.
• [4]Bjelland E, Stuge B, Engdahl B, Eberhard‒Gran M: The effect of emotional distress on persistent pelvic girdle pain after delivery: a longitudinal population study. BJOG 2013, 120(1):32-40.
• [5]O’Sullivan PB, Beales DJ: Diagnosis and classification of pelvic girdle pain disorders, Part 2: illustration of the utility of a classification system via case studies. Man Ther 2007, 12(2):e1-e12.
• [6]Persson M, Winkvist A, Dahlgren L, Mogren I: “Struggling with daily life and enduring pain”: a qualitative study of the experiences of pregnant women living with pelvic girdle pain. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2013, 13(1):111. BioMed Central Full Text
• [7]Pierce H, Homer CS, Dahlen HG, King J: Pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain: listening to Australian women. Nurs Res Pract 2012, 2012:387428.
• [8]Fredriksen EH, Moland KM, Sundby J: “Listen to your body”: a qualitative text analysis of internet discussions related to pregnancy health and pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy. PEC 2008, 73(2):294-299.
• [9]Elden H, Lundgren I, Robertson E: Life’s pregnant pause of pain: pregnant women’s experiences of pelvic girdle pain related to daily life: a Swedish interview study. Sex Reprod Healthc 2013, 4(1):29-34.
• [10]Wellock VK, Crichton MA: Symphysis pubis dysfunction: women’s experiences of care. BJM 2007, 15(8):494-499.
• [11]Werner A, Steihaug S, Malterud K: Encountering the continuing challenges for women with chronic pain: recovery through recognition. QHR 2003, 13(4):491-509.
• [12]Lindseth A, Norberg A: A phenomenological hermeneutical method for researching lived experience. Scand J Caring Sci 2004, 18(2):145-153.
• [13]Polit DF: Nursing Research: Generating and Assessing Evidence for Nursing Practice. 9th edition. Philadelphia, Pa: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2012.
• [14]Stuge B, Lærum E, Kirkesola G, Vøllestad N: The efficacy of a treatment program focusing on specific stabilizing exercises for pelvic girdle pain after pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. Spine 2004, 29(4):351-359.
• [15]Kvale S, Brinkmann S: Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing. Los Angeles: Calif, Sage; 2009.
• [16]NVivo [http://www.qsrinternational.com/products_nvivo.aspx webcite]
• [17]Helse- og omsorgsdepartementet: Act on Medical and Health Research (the Health Research Act). Oslo: In vol. ACT 2008-06-20 no. 44; 2008.
• [18]Poole JL, Hare KS, Turner-Montez S, Mendelson C, Skipper B: Mothers with chronic disease: a comparison of parenting in mothers with systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. OTJR 2014, 34(1):12-19.
• [19]Poole JL, Willer K, Mendelson C: Occupation of motherhood: challenges for mothers with scleroderma. Am J Occup Ther 2009, 63(2):214-219.
• [20]Antonovsky A: Unraveling the Mystery of Health: How People Manage Stress and Stay Well. San Francisco, CA, US: Jossey-Bass; 1987.
• [21]Walsh-Gallagher D, Sinclair M, Mc Conkey R: The ambiguity of disabled women’s experiences of pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood: a phenomenological understanding. Midwifery 2012, 28(2):156-162.
• [22]Olsson CB, Grooten WJ, Nilsson-Wikmar L, Harms-Ringdahl K, Lundberg M: Catastrophizing during and after pregnancy: associations with lumbopelvic pain and postpartum physical ability. Phys There 2012, 92(1):49-57.
• [23]Olsson CB, Nilsson-Wikmar L, Grooten WJ: Determinants for lumbopelvic pain 6 months postpartum. Disabil Rehabil 2012, 34(5):416-422.
• [24]Malterud K: Symptoms as a source of medical knowledge: understanding medically unexplained disorders in women. Fam Med 2000, 32(9):603-611.
• [25]Stuge B, Bergland A: Evidence and individualization: important elements in treatment for women with postpartum pelvic girdle pain. Physiother Theory Pract 2011, 27(8):557-565.
• [26]Stuge B, Veierød MB, Lærum E, Vøllestad N: The efficacy of a treatment program focusing on specific stabilizing exercises for pelvic girdle pain after pregnancy: a two-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial. Spine 2004, 29(10):E197-E203.
• [27]Moe S: Movement in time and space. Fysioterapeuten 2001, 68(6):17-20.
• [28]Gullacksen A, Lidbeck J: The life adjustment process in chronic pain: psychosocial assessment and clinical implications. Pain Res Manag 2003, 9(3):145-153.
• [29]Aamland A, Malterud K, Werner EL: Patients with persistent medically unexplained physical symptoms: a descriptive study from Norwegian general practice. BMC Fam Pract 2014, 15(1):107. BioMed Central Full Text