Prevalence and Risk Factors for Pregnancy-Related Low Back Pain and its Association With Quality of Life in Taiwan

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of pregnancy-related low back pain (PLBP) and its impact on quality of life among pregnant women in Taiwan.

This cross-sectional study comprised a convenient sample of pregnant women who visited obstetrics clinics in Taiwan's medical centers and regional hospitals between 2021 and 2022.

Data on demographics and Pain Visual Analog Scale (PVAS), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF) scores were collected.

Among the 474 participants, 66.2% reported experiencing PLBP, with back pain being common (87.6%). Three risk factors affecting PLBP identified were gestational weight gain, previous experience of low back pain, and work-related repetitive movements and static posture. For PLBP participants, the mean PVAS score was 3.10 ± 1.88, the mean BPI score was 22.25 ± 18.01, and 36.3% had moderate or severe pain; the mean ODI score was 9.71 ± 7.88, and 32.5% had moderate or severe disability, significantly affecting sleep and normal work, such as standing and lifting. The mean WHOQOL-BREF score was 102.18 ± 11.74, with daily functions mediating the association between PLBP severity and quality of life.

The high prevalence of PLBP affects daily functions, including sleep and normal work, due to the severity of pain, thereby impacting the quality of life. Nevertheless, misconceptions about PLBP often discourage many pregnant women from actively seeking treatment.

Healthcare providers should actively provide PLBP-related knowledge and offer tailored prevention or treatment strategies to high-risk pregnant women.