A few hours after the birth of her first child a 36-year-old woman developed anterior pelvic pain. The pain worsened on walking. It proved that during the birth the patient had felt something 'give'. On X-ray a diastasis of 50 mm was seen in the symphysis and symphysis rupture was diagnosed. The patient was treated conservatively with bed rest and pelvic stabilisation. After 17 weeks she was symptom-free. Symphysis rupture during partus is rare. It is characterised by pain around the symphysis and/or the sacro-iliac joints during the first 24 hours post partum. Diagnosis can be made by X-ray. Treatment is predominantly conservative comprising pelvic stabilisation and bed rest.