Maternal Parity Effect on Spine Posture Changes and Back Pain During Pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Biomechanical analysis
• Pregnancy studies

Background:

• Pregnancy significantly affects posture and stability, influencing spinal curvatures.
• Previous research indicates a link between the number of pregnancies and low back pain (LBP).
• Understanding these changes is crucial for managing maternal health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of pregnancy on spinal posture and LBP.
• To analyze how parity (number of previous pregnancies) influences these changes.
• To explore correlations between body mass index (BMI), pain intensity, and spinal parameters.

Main Methods:

• Photogrammetric analysis of spinal posture in 30 pregnant women across trimesters.
• Participants were categorized into nulliparous (Group 1) and parous (Group 2) groups.
• Correlation analysis included BMI, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, and posture parameters.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in spinal posture parameters between parous and nulliparous groups.
• Increased thoracic kyphosis observed in trimester II compared to trimester I.
• BMI correlated with trunk inclination and thoracic angle in specific trimesters and groups.
• Pain intensity showed a stronger correlation with posture parameters in the parous group.

Conclusions:

• Parity does not significantly affect spinal posture or pain intensity during pregnancy.
• LBP intensity is associated with pregnancy-induced spinal posture alterations.
• The relationship between pain and posture varies based on parity.
• Monitoring spinal posture changes during pregnancy is recommended to prevent LBP.