Pain in Pregnancy

We help pregnant patients manage pain throughout their pregnancy and after the baby is born.

What we do

The Pain in Pregnancy Program at the Wasser Pain Management Centre help pregnant patients manage pain throughout their pregnancy and in the immediate postpartum period.

Our team consists of nurse practitioners, pain physicians, physiatry, neurology and allied health professionals. We helps patients with a wide range of pain concerns, including headaches, abdominal pain, low back and pelvic pain, carpal tunnel and other nerve pain conditions.

We help patients make an informed decision about pain medication use during pregnancy along and explore a variety of non-medication approaches to help manage pain. We also work with patients to safely manage or taper off opioid medications and other pain medications during pregnancy.

Who can be referred

While discomfort is common during pregnancy, our goal is to support people during the perinatal period with pain management to minimize its impact on function and quality of life. We provide pain management recommendations for perinatal patients with various pain presentations.

Our services include:

Assessment and management of musculoskeletal or neurologic conditions
Assessments for pregnant individuals with concurrent pain and opioid use disorder
Management of chronic pain symptoms during the perinatal period
Pharmacotherapy recommendations, including opioid management and tapering
Rehabilitative and non-pharmacologic management plans
Management of new or chronic headache disorders in pregnancy or within 6 months postpartum

What to expect

During your first appointment, we will perform a physical examination, ask about your medical history and look for the causes of your pain. We will then work with you to decide on a care plan that is specific to your needs.

We may recommend any of the following treatments to help manage your pain:

Physical and rehabilitation strategies to support pain management during pregnancy and postpartum
Medications that are safe for you to take during pregnancy
Cognitive behavioural therapy or other psychological approaches to pain management
Interventional pain management strategies, as appropriate

For individuals with pre-existing pain conditions, our role is to support you during pregnancy and postpartum. Our clinic will not take over the investigation or management of chronic pain conditions long term.

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so you may see medical students, residents or other medical trainees as part of your care. Learners are supervised by other members of our dedicated care team who work together to provide you with comprehensive care.