When should you worry about back pain in pregnancy if you have pelvic girdle pain?

Pelvic girdle pain can cause aching across the lower back, pelvis, hips, groin, or buttocks. It often worsens with walking, stairs, turning in bed, standing on one leg, or getting in and out of a car. Pain may be mechanical and movement-related, but pregnancy back pain has other possible causes, so a changed pattern should be discussed with your maternity team.

Keep gently mobile within your comfort, change position regularly, and use pillows to support your bump and legs in bed. Sit down to dress, keep your knees together when turning or getting out of a car, and avoid lifting that clearly worsens symptoms. Ask about pregnancy-safe pain relief and referral to a physiotherapist experienced in pelvic health. Arrange review if pain limits walking, sleep, work, or daily care.

Contact your maternity unit promptly for rhythmic tightening, period-like cramps, pelvic pressure, vaginal bleeding, fluid leaking, fever, pain when passing urine, or a sudden persistent change in back pain. Seek urgent assessment for severe pain, weakness or numbness in the legs, loss of bladder or bowel control, fainting, or feeling acutely unwell. These signs need assessment even when pelvic girdle pain has already been diagnosed.

Ask whether your pattern fits pelvic girdle pain, whether physiotherapy would help, and which activities to modify. Clarify which symptoms should prompt a call to the maternity unit, what pain relief is suitable for your stage of pregnancy, and when your symptoms should be reviewed.