Perinatal Pelvic Health

Provided by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, the Perinatal Pelvic Health Physiotherapy Service (PPHS) aims to support women and birthing people, both during pregnancy and for up to one year following birth, experiencing pelvic health problems such as incontinence or prolapse. They work as part of a wider team with pelvic health midwives, obstetricians and health visitors and we have a role in the perineal clinic.

Being pregnant puts extra strain on the pelvic floor complex, a group of muscles and ligaments in the base of the pelvis which support the bladder, bowel and uterus, and that these same structures are stretched during birth. As a result, it is common for pregnant women to experience leakage (incontinence) of urine (wee) or faeces (poo) or to feel as though their pelvic organs are sitting lower in the vagina, known as prolapse. Sometimes after having a baby it is possible to experience pain during sex.

Often, practising regular pelvic floor muscle exercises during pregnancy and after birth will resolve these problems. You can find more information about the exercises within their resources webpage: https://lancsteachinghospitals.nhs.uk/perinatal-pelvic-health-physiotherapy-service-pphs