Women's Health Physiotherapy During Pregnancy: Why it’s important
By Senior Physiotherapist, Megan Parkyn-Schneider
Introduction
Pregnancy brings remarkable changes to a woman's body. While these changes support the growth and development of a baby, they can also place increased demands on the musculoskeletal, pelvic floor, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.
Women's health physiotherapy provides targeted assessment, education, and exercise prescription to help women stay active, manage common pregnancy-related symptoms, and prepare for birth and recovery. Increasing evidence supports the role of physiotherapy as part of antenatal care to improve comfort, function, confidence, and overall wellbeing throughout pregnancy.
Why Women's Health Physiotherapy Matters
Supports physical and emotional wellbeing during pregnancy
Helps prevent and manage pregnancy-related pain
Promotes safe physical activity
Optimises pelvic floor health
Assists preparation for labour and birth
May improve postnatal recovery
The goal is not simply to treat symptoms, but to help women remain active, confident, and informed throughout pregnancy.
Benefit 1: Reducing Pregnancy-Related Back and Pelvic Girdle Pain
Low back pain and pelvic girdle pain affect a substantial proportion of pregnant women and can significantly impact daily activities, sleep, work participation, and quality of life.
Current research demonstrates that:
Individualised exercise programmes reduce pain and disability
Manual therapy and movement-based interventions may improve function
Education regarding posture, load management, and activity modification is beneficial
Early intervention may reduce symptom progression
Clinically Relevant Statistics
Approximately 50-70% of pregnant women experience low back or pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy.
Exercise-based interventions are consistently recommended in international clinical guidelines.
Physiotherapy Strategies
Strengthening exercises
Mobility exercises
Pelvic support advice
Activity modification
Functional movement retraining
Manual therapy when appropriate
Benefit 2: Supporting Pelvic Floor Health
Pregnancy increases load on the pelvic floor muscles, which can contribute to:
Urinary incontinence
Pelvic organ prolapse risk
Reduced pelvic floor function
High-quality evidence supports supervised pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy.
Key Findings
Women who perform structured pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy are:
Less likely to experience urinary incontinence during pregnancy
Less likely to experience urinary incontinence after birth
More aware of pelvic floor function and recovery needs
Physiotherapy Strategies
Pelvic floor assessment
Individual exercise prescription
Breathing coordination training
Education regarding safe exercise and pressure management
Benefit 3: Encouraging Safe Exercise During Pregnancy
National and international guidelines emphasise that regular physical activity during uncomplicated pregnancies is safe and beneficial.
Research shows that appropriately prescribed exercise can:
Improve cardiovascular fitness
Reduce excessive gestational weight gain
Improve mood
Reduce fatigue
Improve physical function
Emerging evidence also suggests that antenatal exercise may reduce the likelihood of some pregnancy complications in selected populations.
Physiotherapy Strategies
Individual exercise screening
Strength training guidance
Pregnancy-specific exercise modification
Return-to-exercise planning
Monitoring for warning signs that require medical review
Benefit 4: Improving Core and Breathing Function
Pregnancy affects:
Abdominal wall function
Rib cage mechanics
Breathing patterns
Pressure regulation within the trunk
Women's health physiotherapists help women understand how changing anatomy can influence movement, exercise, and symptom development.
Physiotherapy Strategies
Diaphragmatic breathing training
Core muscle education
Pressure-management techniques
Functional strengthening
Potential Benefits
Improved movement efficiency
Reduced discomfort during exercise
Better preparation for labour and recovery
Benefit 5: Preparing for Labour and Birth
While physiotherapy cannot guarantee a specific birth outcome, education and physical preparation can increase confidence and improve self-management.
Women's health physiotherapists commonly provide education regarding:
Labour positions
Breathing techniques
Perineal massage
Relaxation techniques
Pelvic mobility
Pushing mechanics
Benefits for Expectant Mothers
Increased confidence
Reduced fear surrounding labour
Greater understanding of birth options
Better preparation for physical demands of childbirth
Benefit 6: Supporting Mental Wellbeing
Physical activity and education during pregnancy are associated with improved psychological wellbeing.
Research suggests exercise may:
Reduce stress
Improve mood
Improve energy levels
Support overall quality of life
For many women, physiotherapy provides reassurance and confidence when navigating bodily changes throughout pregnancy.
Benefit 7: Setting the Foundation for Postnatal Recovery
One of the greatest advantages of antenatal physiotherapy is that it helps to establish habits and set the groundwork before delivery.
Women who engage in physiotherapy during pregnancy often leave with:
Pelvic floor awareness
Exercise knowledge
Recovery expectations
Strategies to manage common postnatal challenges
Potential Long-Term Benefits
Earlier recognition of symptoms
Improved recovery confidence
Safer return to exercise
Ongoing pelvic floor management
Myth vs Fact
Myth:
"I should avoid exercise during pregnancy."
Fact:
For most uncomplicated pregnancies, regular exercise is safe and strongly recommended.
Myth:
"Urinary leakage during pregnancy is normal and cannot be helped."
Fact:
Although common, urinary leakage is not something women simply need to accept. Pelvic floor muscle training has strong evidence for prevention and management.
Myth:
"Women's health physiotherapy is only needed after birth."
Fact:
Physiotherapy can play a valuable role throughout pregnancy, helping prevent and manage symptoms before they become more significant.
Conclusion
Women's health physiotherapy is an evidence-based component of modern antenatal care. Through targeted assessment, education, exercise prescription, and pelvic floor training, physiotherapists help women manage pregnancy-related symptoms, remain active, prepare for labour, and support recovery after birth.
The latest research continues to reinforce a simple message: proactive care during pregnancy can improve comfort, confidence, and function, benefiting both maternal health and long-term wellbeing. If you are currently pregnant you can book in with one of our women’s health physiotherapists to start your prenatal care.
References
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2020). Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period(Committee Opinion No. 804). Obstetrics & Gynecology, 135(4), e178-e188. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000003772
Davenport, M. H., Ruchat, S. M., Poitras, V. J., Garcia, A. J., Gray, C. E., Barrowman, N., Skow, R. J., Meah, V. L., Riske, L., Sobierajski, F., James, M., Kathol, A. J., Nuspl, M., Marchand, A. A., Nagpal, T. S., Slater, L. G., Weeks, A., Adamo, K. B., Davies, G. A., & Mottola, M. F. (2018). Prenatal exercise for the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(21), 1367-1375. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099355
Davenport, M. H., McCurdy, A. P., Mottola, M. F., Skow, R. J., Meah, V. L., Poitras, V. J., Gray, C. E., Garcia, A. J., Barrowman, N., Riske, L., Sobierajski, F., James, M., Kathol, A. J., Nuspl, M., Marchand, A. A., Nagpal, T. S., Slater, L. G., Weeks, A., Davies, G. A., & Adamo, K. B. (2019). Impact of prenatal exercise on both prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(21), 1376-1385. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099697
Hay-Smith, E. J. C., Herderschee, R., Dumoulin, C., & Herbison, G. P. (2011). Comparisons of approaches to pelvic floor muscle training for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (12), Article CD009508. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009508.pub2
Mottola, M. F., Davenport, M. H., Ruchat, S. M., Davies, G. A., Poitras, V. J., Gray, C. E., Garcia, A. J., Barrowman, N., Adamo, K. B., Duggan, M., Barakat, R., Chilibeck, P. D., Fleming, K., Forte, M., Korolnek, J., Nagpal, T. S., Slater, L. G., Stirling, D., Zehr, L., & No. 367 Consensus Guideline Committee. (2018). 2019 Canadian guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(21), 1339-1346. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100056
Thompson, E. L., Vamos, C. A., & Daley, E. M. (2020). Physical activity during pregnancy and the role of healthcare providers. Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America, 47(3), 543-557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ogc.2020.05.008
Woodley, S. J., Lawrenson, P., Boyle, R., Cody, J. D., Mørkved, S., Hay-Smith, E. J. C., & Dean, S. G. (2020). Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020(5), Article CD007471. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD007471.pub4
World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128