title: Women's experience of low back and/or pelvic pain (LBPP) during pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to explore the experiences of women suffering low back and/or pelvic pain during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  a qualitative design using focus groups. Each group was recorded with a digital audio recorder and analysed using the Newell and Burnard framework for thematic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  an urban maternity hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  a self-selecting sample of 14 women who had taken part in a pilot randomised controlled trial investigating reflexology for pregnancyrelated low back and / or pelvic pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the group discussions were guided by a pre-determined schedule of questions designed to investigate women's experiences of pregnancyrelated low back and / or pelvic pain. Three main themes emerged:
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  low back and/ or pelvic pain affected women physically and emotionally during pregnancy. Their attitudes towards, and knowledge about the conditions differed. Women used a range of self-help strategies for their symptoms and there was a general sense of dissatisfaction with routine advice and treatment, a finding supported by a growing body of research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  given that pregnancy-related low back and/ pelvic pain occur across the world, and affects the majority of pregnant women, heath care providers need to ensure that standard care provided is meeting women's needs. Health care professionals may require specific training in order to effectively provide individualised and evidence-based advice and support to pregnant women experiencing this pain.
authors.affiliation: Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom. Electronic address: c.close@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ciara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Close
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, United Kingdom. Electronic address: m.sinclair1@ulster.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liddle
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mc Cullough
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Ulster University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ciara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D059408:Pain Management / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Experience; Health professionals; Low back pain; Pelvic pain; Pregnancy