Does pregnancy induce or enhances low back pain

Abstract

AbstractForty-eight pregnant women out of 166 referred to our obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinic due to back pain between February and March 2003 were included in the present study. A questionnaire booklet was prepared for age, weight gain during pregnancy, number of parities, existence of any back pain in their former pregnancies, the start of back pain during pregnancy, physical work conditions and route of previous labour information. These patients were followed for a period of 1.5 years after labour.The factors that influenced back pain in the pregnant patients were: multiparity, former back pain during pregnancy, and weight gain during pregnancy. We determined lumbar discopathy at a ratio of 79.1% using MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) study of the lumbar vertebrae in patients with back pain lasting more than a one year.