Pelvic pain after childbirth: a longitudinal population study.

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Reproductive Health
• Pain Medicine

Background:

• Pelvic pain is a common concern for women postpartum.
• Understanding the impact of delivery mode on pelvic pain is crucial for maternal health.
• Longitudinal data on pelvic pain development and changes after childbirth are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between mode of delivery and new onset of pelvic pain.
• To examine changes in pelvic pain scores up to 18 months postpartum.
• To identify factors associated with pelvic pain development and severity after childbirth.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal population study including 20,248 participants from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.
• Data collected via self-administered questionnaires and linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway.
• Analysis of new onset pelvic pain and pelvic pain scores at 0-3 months and 7-18 months postpartum.

Main Results:

• 4.5% of women reported new onset pelvic pain postpartum.
• Operative vaginal delivery was linked to increased odds of pelvic pain compared to unassisted vaginal delivery.
• Cesarean deliveries (planned and emergency) were associated with reduced odds of pelvic pain.
• Planned cesarean delivery, young maternal age, and low Symptom Checklist-8 scores predicted lower pain scores.
• A history of pain was the sole predictor of increased pelvic pain scores over time.

Conclusions:

• New onset pelvic pain postpartum is infrequent, particularly after cesarean birth.
• Pelvic pain scores generally remain low, but women with prior pain history report higher scores.
• Clinical vigilance is advised for women experiencing pelvic pain post-childbirth, especially those with a history of pain.