Hospitals in Lancashire and South Cumbria are providing help and support for anyone with pelvic floor problems or concerns during pregnancy and for 12 months afterwards.
Pregnancy changes your body. This can be uncomfortable and affect your daily life.
It’s important to spot any symptoms early, so you can get the right help. These may include:
- Leaking when you cough, jump or laugh
- Vaginal changes or pain
- Heaviness in the vagina
- Constant urge to go for a wee
- Pain having sex
- Not able to control wind/pooing yourself
If you don't have any symptoms, it is just as important to know how to stop these from happening in the future.
This questionnaire asks about common symptoms you may have after having your baby. It will help decide if you could manage these problems yourself, or if you need more help.
What should I do next?
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Prevention Score 0-7 |
You have no pelvic health symptoms after having your baby, and we want it to stay that way.
Use the information in the tabs at the bottom of PPHS webpage to stop you having problems in the future.
Remember to do pelvic floor exercises regularly. We clean our teeth twice a day, so why don’t we look after our pelvic floor in the same way?
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Self-Management Score 8-29 |
You have some pelvic health symptoms that may be affecting your day-to-day life. This is common after having a baby, but not normal.
The good news is that most people’s symptoms will get better by doing some simple exercises and following advice. You can usually start to notice a difference within 6 weeks, but sometimes it can take longer.
You will find information on the tabs at the bottom of the PPHS webpage
If your symptoms aren’t getting better, you can refer yourself to our Pelvic Health Physiotherapy team by emailing:
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Self-referral Score 30+ |
You have pelvic health symptoms that are having a significant impact on your day-to-day life, and you would benefit from getting some more help.
You can refer yourself to Pelvic Health Physiotherapy by using this email:
In the meantime, start doing some simple exercises and following the advice found in the tab “Postnatal/During the year after pregnancy” at the bottom of the PPHS webpage Your symptoms may start to get better while you’re waiting for your appointment.
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Back, pelvic and hip pain after giving birth
The PPHS is unable to accept referrals for back, pelvic or hip pain after you have had your baby.
If pain is a problem for you, your symptoms may get better by following the advice in this leaflet: Pelvic Girdle Pain.
If your symptoms are still affecting you after 6 weeks, you can refer yourself to our Pelvic Health Physiotherapy team by using these links below:
If your GP is in Preston, contact Ascenti – details on the right of this web page: Preston GP - Ascenti
or
*Based on Fee, A., Uren, A., Abrams, P., Knowles, C., Hashim, H., Avery, K., Lough. K., Cotterill, N. The Perinatal Pelvic Health Self-Assessment Questionnaire (PPHSAQ): User guide for clinical staff. International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire, 2024. Published December 17, 2024. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://iciq.net/pphsaq
For more information on how to refer yourself, speak to your midwife or go to:
