Describe the prevalence and the level of disability of low back pain and/or pelvic pain in pregnant women from primary care centre.
This was a cross-sectional study that used non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Pregnant women between 18 and 40 years old, with a healthy pregnancy, one fetus, and in their second or third trimester were recruited during a routine ultrasound control from a primary care centre CESFAM EL ROBLE; located in a low-income area in Santiago-Chile. Recruitment was between January and July 2024. Data was collected through sociodemographic questionnaires, pain maps, pain intensity scales, and self-reported disability questionnaires. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire (PGQ) were used, respectively, to evaluate the level of disability for low back pain and pelvic girdle.
A total of 35 pregnant women participated in the study, with an average age of 30.4 ± 7.1 years and a median gestational age of 22 weeks (IQR 15–31). Of the participants, 65.8% were classified as obese according to their body mass index, and 34.3% were nulliparous. Furthermore, 80% were single, and 71.4% had a medium level of education (8–12 years). In terms of employment, 37.1% were housewives. The total prevalence of pain was 82,9% (n = 29), of which 25,7% (n = 9) had lower back pain, 28,6% (n = 10) had pelvic pain, and 28,6% (n = 10) had both dysfunctions. A total of 60% of participants reported a pain intensity of 6 or higher on the numeric pain scale. The median disability score for low back pain measured by the ODI was 18 (IQR 6–28; 95% CI: 12.9–26), and the median score for pelvic pain measured by the PGQ was 37.9 (IQR 20.6–51.9; 95% CI: 29.3–49.3). These results show that pain and disability are common and significantly affect daily activities.
Low back and/or pelvic pain are prevalent among pregnant women attending at the primary care centre, with high levels of pain leading to significant disability in performing daily activities.
The physiotherapist has an important role in developing interventions for managing musculoskeletal dysfuntion in pregnant women, improving their quality of life, and promoting research to support public policies that enable the early management of musculoskeletal dysfunctions during pregnancy.
low back pain
pelvic girdle pain
