Prevalence and Risk Factors of Low Back Pain in Pregnant Women who delivered at Srinagarind Hospital

Abstract

Background: Low back pain is a common problem during pregnancy. One of two pregnant women usually experience backache during pregnaszncy. This problem lowers the quality of life for many women.

Objective: To determine prevalence and risk factors  of low back pain during pregnancy in women who delivered at Srinagarind Hospital.

Design: Descriptive study

Setting: post-partum wards, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University

Subjects: Three hundred twenty pregnant women were interviewed within 24 – 48 hours after giving birth.

Measurement: Demographic data, medical records related to back pain, previous pregnancy were collected by an interviewer using structural Questionnaires. Percentages of back pain and other variables were calculated. Association between back pain and studied factors were determined using Chi  square test.

Results: There were 320 pregnant women. The pregnant women’s mean age and standard deviation were 21.41 and 4.20 years. It was found that 77.2% of pregnant women suffered from low back pain during pregnancy (95% CI = 72.6, 81.8%). Fifty  five point nine percent of the  pregnant women experienced some degree of low back pain. Twenty one point three percept of the pregnant women were unable to continue their  work because of moderate or severe low back pain. Factors which was found to be significantly associated with an increased risk to develop low back pain during pregnancy was the women’s height. Even though a history of epidural anesthesia during a previous lab our and weight were not found to be risk factors in low back pain significantly but there was a tendency.

Conclustion: The prevalence of low back pain during pregnancy from this study was 77.2% (95% CI = 72.6, 81.8%). Maternal height was fond to be a significant risk factor.