Strengths
This is the first formal investigation into a pain condition experienced
by the majority of pregnant people - it is an introduction, rather than
a conclusion to the problem. We have clearly demonstrated the high
frequency of unexplained abdominal pain and of sufferers being told
about RLP by medical carers. This indicates a gap in care that demands
further attention.
To our knowledge, this is also the first attempt to propose an
anatomically rational alternative explanation for ‘Round Ligament Pain’.
The value of PRAWN lies not in the semantics of naming the correctly
affected nerve, but rather in its therapeutic potential. In the
non-pregnant community, AWP can be treated with TAP blocks, trigger
point injections with steroid, chemical neurolysis and surgical
neurectomies (20). The opportunities for these therapies to be extended
to pregnant patients abound.