Abstract

Pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain (PGP) and/or low back pain (LBP) is common, affects mobility and is distressing to women1. They and healthcare professionals may be concerned about their ability to deliver vaginally. Few studies have examined the obstetric outcome of these women.

This study's aim was to establish whether women with pregnancy associated PGP/LBP have similar obstetric interventions of labour induction, instrumental delivery and caesarean section to non-PGP/LBP women delivering at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Women with severe PGP/LBP were defined as obstetric physiotherapist clinical diagnosis requiring ≥ three antenatal physiotherapy appointments (n=47). Demographic details and obstetric outcomes were compared against those of all women without PGP/LBP (n=1876). The authors included all women delivered from September to December 2009. Retrospective data were obtained using maternity database and statistical analysis was by t test or χ².

There were no significant differences in maternal age, weight of baby, gestational age, or labour induction between the groups. Women with severe PGP/LBP had a higher rate of vaginal delivery (74.47%, vs 66.52%), fewer instrumental deliveries (2.13% vs 10.45%) and the same caesarean section rate (emergency 12.77% vs 12.47%, elective 10.64% vs 10.07%); however these results did not reach statistical significance (p>0.05).

This study suggests that women with severe PGP/LBP can be reassured that they have similar rates of labour induction, vaginal delivery and caesarean section as women without PGP/LBP. Further prospective studies should be considered.