[Examination of factors influencing lumbopelvic pain during pregnancy and in the first year post partum].

Introduction

Back and pelvic pain during pregnancy is a common phenomenon that affects the mother’s well-being during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Objective

The aim of our research was to investigate the factors influencing low back and pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy and one year after childbirth. Method: 220 women (average age: 40.44 ± 4.93 years) who gave birth within one year participated in our cross-sectional questionnaire research. The questionnaire package included questions about general and women’s health, as well as a shortened version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Oswestry Disability Index, and the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire as independent, validated questionnaires. The statistical softwares we used were Microsoft Office Excel 2016 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 28.0, the significance level was defined as p<0.05.

Results

There is a significant difference between the visual analogue scale scores before and during pregnancy (p<0.001), however, there was no significant difference between the scores during and after pregnancy (p = 0.201). There was a positive, significant relationship between the degree of low back pain and the scores of the Oswestry Disability Index (r = 0.679; p<0.001), as well as between the visual analogue scale scores expressing the severity of low back pain during pregnancy and the body mass index during pregnancy (r = 0.135; p = 0.045). Comparing the Pelvic Girdle Pain Questionnaire scores of the “regularly exercising” and “regularly not exercising” groups showed a significant difference (p = 0.028). Discussion: Our research results can be paralleled and supported by the results found in the international literature.

Conclusion

Based on the results of the research, we can conclude that waist and pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy are influenced and determined by the level of physical activity and the body mass index. Without intervention, the pain persists even after childbirth. Orv Hetil. 2024; 165(22): 859–865.