Prevalence of Neck and Low Back Pain in Women During Post-Partum Period

Background: Due to the changes in the woman's body during and after birth, neck and back pain are common complaints among postpartum women. Objective: To determine the prevalence of neck and low back pain in the post-partum period of pregnancy. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out within six months after the approval of the synopsis. After receiving their written consent, participants from the Jinnah and Services hospitals were given a standard questionnaire to complete. Pregnant females aged between 20-40 years of age were included in the study. Those having complications like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia or other serious conditions were excluded from the study. A predesigned Nordic questionnaire was utilized for the data collection purpose. A total of 19 closed-ended questions were included in the survey, covering the subjects' demographic information, parity, recent C-section or normal delivery, physical activity, low back and neck pain during the postpartum period. After completing the questionnaire, data was gathered to assess the prevalence of neck and low back pain. Using SPSS 22.0, the data was analyzed and for the quantitative variables, means and standard deviations were computed, while the qualitative variables were shown as frequency and percentage. Results: Among 119 postpartum women, 53 (44.5%) had a normal vaginal birth and 66 (55.5%) had the cesarean mode of delivery, 43 (36.1%) were breastfeeding, 22 (18.49%) were bottle-feeding and 54 (45.38%) were given both. In 12 months, 62 (52.10%) reported neck pain, whereas 80 (67.23%) reported low back pain. Women experiencing neck pain were 53(44.54%) and 72(60.50%) in the previous 7 days respectively. Conclusion: The study revealed that the frequency of neck pain and lower back pain was found to be 44.54% and 60.5% respectively in pregnant females.