As we continue to mark #IWD25, Omer Elma explains how Pain Neuroscience Education could help women manage postpartum pain
Omer Elma is a Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Bournemouth University. His cross-organisational collaboration involves Dorset HealthCare, University Hospitals Dorset and Health Innovation Wessex.
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What is your project about?
Postpartum persistent pain (PPP) is pain that continues beyond six weeks after childbirth, often alongside postnatal depression, which can have very negative consequences for a mother and her family.
We know that fear of pain and anxiety play a significant role in pregnancy. However, unfortunately, current antenatal care lacks a specific component that addresses pain directly, and we'd like to change this.
Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) aims to help women reframe how they think about their pain, helping better management of pain and potentially reudiced postnatal depression. This phase of the project is all about working with women and clinicians to explore how PNE might best integrated into prenatal care.
What is Pain Neuroscience Education?
PNE helps individuals understand pain differently, shifting their perception of pain from a purely negative and threatening experience to something that can be managed. By addressing pain, fear of pain, anxiety, and depression related to pain, we aim to find ways to better support women during and after pregnancy.
How will your project help women?
In the long term, integrating PNE into antenatal care could help women in several ways. It can empower them to manage pain more effectively by improving their understanding of the biological, psychological, and social factors that influence pain. This, in turn, can help reduce fear, anxiety, and depression associated with pain, which are known to negatively impact both mental and physical well-being.
PNE has also been shown to enhance pain coping strategies, reduce the likelihood of chronic pain development and improve overall quality of life. By addressing misunderstandings about pain and promoting realistic expectations, PNE can help women feel more confident and in control throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery.
What stage has this research reached, and do you have any findings you can share?
So far, we have completed our sessions with 12 participants, including psychologists, physiotherapists, midwives specializing in pain and pelvic health, as well as mothers of one or two children and pregnant women.
Women have expressed a preference for interactive delivery methods where they can ask questions and discuss their concerns, as well as access to continuous educational materials. In terms of timing, most participants suggested that PNE should be introduced in the third trimester, although some women expressed a desire to access materials earlier.
However, for some, learning about pain too early in pregnancy could increase anxiety. Short interactive videos and targeted leaflets were among the most preferred delivery methods. These findings highlight the need for a flexible, tailored approach to pain education in pregnancy.
What are your next steps?
Moving forward, we plan to develop a specific PNE package adapted and individualized for antenatal care through a Delphi study involving experts in the field. This study will help refine the content and ensure it aligns with the needs of pregnant women. Following this, we aim to conduct a pilot trial to test the implementation of PNE in antenatal care, targeting both natal and postnatal pain. To support this work, we intend to apply for further funding.
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