737: LOW BACK PAIN DURING PREGNANCY AND ITS IMPACT ON FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY OF PREGNANT WOMEN

Topic: Clinical Science
Subtopic: Non-specific to any diagnosis, Pain in Special Populations

Background and Aims: Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent complaint among pregnant women(1), impairing functional capacity & quality of life. Many women encounter LBP for the first time during gestation, leading to various complications & disabilities(2). Nearly 80% of women have LBP throughout pregnancy(3). The intensity of discomfort hinders daily tasks(4). Weight, hormonal & biomechanical alterations render the mother vulnerable to LBP, pelvic pain, & sciatica. Most women experiencing LBP perceive it as a normal aspect of pregnancy, leading them to refrain from treatment. Untreated pain adversely affect mothers' emotional well-being(5) & post-pregnancy condition. The treatment strategies for these mothers should be considered(1). This study is to evaluate the prevalence & severity of LBP in our pregnant population, its effect on quality of life, & the extent of disability. We choose this work with the aim to contribute for a systematic review & meta-analysis of the global prevalence of LBP during pregnancy, serving as a crucial evidence to address it.

Methods: Since no local data was available, so a cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 pregnant women in antenatal clinics of National Hospital & Medical Centre, Lahore, Pakistan. Data was collected for six months, from September 2025 to February 2026. All pregnant women aged between 18–40 years in the second or third trimester (gestational age ≥13 weeks) having ability to communicate and understand the study questionnaire were included. All females with history of pre-existing musculoskeletal disorders or spinal surgery, known neurological or orthopedic conditions unrelated to pregnancy, multiple gestation or with high-risk pregnancies or bed-rest advised were excluded.
A structured questionnaire was used as the primary data collection tool. Data collection instruments included the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and pain mapping diagrams. Statistical analyses involved descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and multivariate modeling to explore associations between demographic and clinical variables and LBP-related outcomes.

Results: Of the total number of respondents (500), the majority were between the ages of 30-39 years(53.6%). LBP was highly prevalent among respondents, with 33% reporting moderate pain (VAS 4–6) and 10% experiencing severe pain (VAS 7–9). The majority (51%) exhibited moderate disability (ODI 15–24), while 12% showed severe disability (ODI > 25). LBP was significantly associated with higher gestational age (≥20 weeks), elevated BMI (>25), and previous chronic backache. Logistic regression revealed significant associations between weight (OR = 1.1566, p < 0.001), BMI (p = 0.029), and disability scores. Gestational age was a borderline predictor of increased Roland scores (p = 0.053) and significantly predicted higher VAS scores across all pain categories (p < 0.01). Weight was also a significant contributor to higher ODI scores (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The study highlights that LBP during pregnancy is a prevalent issue that significantly impacts the functional capacity and quality of life of pregnant women. Among the 500 participants, 51% experienced moderate disability, affecting their daily activities, while 12% had severe disability, indicating a need for medical intervention. The severity of LBP was strongly correlated with gestational age > 20 weeks, BMI >25, and a history of back pain.
Findings suggest that weight and gestational age are significant predictors of pain severity, as measured by the VAS and ODI. Logistic regression analysis further confirmed that higher weight and gestational age increase the likelihood of experiencing severe LBP. Given the high prevalence of back pain among participants, future research should focus on targeted pain management strategies and preventive measures to reduce the burden of pregnancy-related LBP. It also emphsizes the need for early screening & interventions to mitigate disability and improve maternal well-being.

References: 1.Nader Salari , Aida Mohammadi et al. The global prevalence of low back pain in pregnancy: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2023 Dec 2;23(1):830. doi: 10.1186/s12884-023-06151-x.
2. Gutke A, Boissonnault J, Brook G, Stuge B. The Severity and Impact of Pelvic Girdle Pain and Low-Back Pain in Pregnancy: A Multinational Study. J Womens Health. 2018 Apr 1;27(4):510–7.
3. Saxena AK, Chilkoti GT, Singh A, Yadav G. Pregnancy-induced Low Back Pain in Indian Women: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Correlation with Serum Calcium Levels. Anesth Essays Res. 2019;13(2):395–402. doi:10.4103/aer.AER_196_18 PubMed PMID: 31198266; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6545952.
4. Manyozo SD, Nesto T, Bonongwe P, Muula AS. Low back pain during pregnancy: Prevalence, risk factors and association with daily activities among pregnant women in urban Blantyre, Malawi. Malawi Med J. 2019 Mar;31(1):71–6. doi:10.4314/mmj.v31i1.12 PubMed PMID: 31143400; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC652633
5. Vignato J, Perkhounkova Y, Saeidzadeh S, Patsais M, Inman M, Marie McCarthy A, et al. Pathways from pain to physical and mental health-related quality of life during the third trimester of pregnancy: an exploratory mediation analysis. J Clin Nurs. 2021;30(9–10):1372–82. doi:10.1111/jocn.15686

Presenting Author: Sadaf Mushtaq
Submitting Author: Sadaf Mushtaq

Senior Author: Sadaf Mushtaq

IASP 2026 Global Year theme of Neuropathic Pain: No

• Minahil Zaman: MBBS; FCPS (Anesthesia) - National Hospital & Medical Centre, Lahore
• Khalid Bashir: MBBS ; FCPS - National Hospital & Medical Centre, Lahore