Low backache during pregnancy. Acute hemodynamic effects of a lumbar support

To determine whether a commercially available elastic/Velcro lumbar and abdominal support (Mother-To-Be, CMO, Inc., Barberton, Ohio) affects the hemodynamics of the fetus and pregnant woman.

Healthy volunteers with low backache at 24-36 weeks' gestation were sought from our obstetric clinic population. The fetal heart rate (FHR), maternal blood pressure and maternal cardiac output were monitored for 20-minute intervals before, during and after placement of the support while standing and sitting. A sufficient number of subjects was used to detect a difference of 10% in cardiac output.

Twenty-five women were enrolled between 24 and 36 weeks' gestation. No significant changes were encountered in the FHR baseline or beat-to-beat variability during placement of the support. The few FHR decelerations were isolated and not attributable to the support. The maternal systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures were unaffected by the support. The right-sided and left-sided cardiac outputs were unchanged during the monitoring periods. Each woman, when questioned two weeks later, reported improvement in back discomfort while sitting and standing.

This elastic/Velcro lumbar and abdominal support, available to relieve low backache, did not acutely affect the hemodynamics of the fetus and mother.