The Frequency of Back Pain, Lumbar Pain, And Pelvic Girdle Pain During Pregnancy.

Abstract

Background: Upper back pain, lower back pain, and pelvic girdle pain are common problems during pregnancy. There is limited research in Turkey on their prevalence and associated factors.

Aim: This study aims to determine the frequency of upper back, lower back, and pelvic girdle pain occurring in the second half of pregnancy and its associated factors.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted on 515 pregnant women between December 2019 and May 2020. Data were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics and the pelvic girdle questionnaire.

Findings: The study included 515 pregnant women. The mean age was 28.31 ± 3.86 years, and the mean gestational age was 32.78 ± 5.41 weeks. Of the participants, 2.7% reported upper back pain, 22.3% reported lower back pain, and 59% reported pelvic girdle pain. The mean pain score for those with upper back pain was 56.66 ± 30.11; for lower back pain, it was 48.19 ± 18.44; and for pelvic girdle pain was 10.60 ± 7.69. Maternal characteristics, including age, education level, employment status, smoking status, regular exercise, parity, gravidity, and gestational age, were significantly important determinants of pelvic girdle pain (PGP) during pregnancy.

Conclusion: More than half of pregnant women reported PGP. The prevalence of PGP was higher than that of upper and lower back pain. Specific maternal sociodemographic characteristics influenced PGP during pregnancy.