Back Pain in Pregnancy
Terms you should know
Multiparity : A woman who has given birth to two or more children.
Miscarriage : Loss of products of conception from the uterus before the foetus is viable.
Labor : The process of birth of a child.
Sacroiliac Joint : Joints between the sacrum and the ilium in the lower back.
Hormonal changes : Hormones are chemicals which are produced in minute quantities in the body. Changes in the hormone levels produce many changes in the body.
Biomechanics : The action of forces on the living body.
Back pain is a common feature during pregnancy. It is estimated that 80 percent of all pregnant women have some form of back pain. Backache in pregnancy can start as early as the first three months and continue up to six months after delivery. Pre-pregnancy back pain and multiparity (several previous child-births at gestation) seem to be the main risk factors.
In the first three months, there is usually mild back pain, which is relieved by gentle exercise and rest. Severe backache in the first three months of pregnancy may be a warning sign of an impending miscarriage and should always be reported to the doctor.
In the middle three months of pregnancy, backache is due to pressure of the growing baby and exaggerated curvature of the mother’s spine. Towards the end of pregnancy, persistent backache may herald the onset of
labour.
