Assessing musculoskeletal back pain during pregnancy

Low back pain (LBP) affects between 50% and 90% of women who are pregnant. The many etiologies of LBP include hormonal, mechanical, postural, and vascular influences. It is unclear whether the cause of LBP is a single entity or multifactorial. When diagnosing LBP, it is important to rule out other medical causes such as pre-term labor and/or urinary tract infections. The patient's history and physical examination can isolate the cause of LBP as musculoskeletal most of the time. The patients can then be divided into treatment groups based on the severity of their symptoms. A flow chart is provided that divides patients into three main groups and treatment options for these groups. One of the most effective means of preventing LBP during pregnancy is early education. Research has shown that patients who received education during pregnancy have less severe backache. Thus, it is important to discuss with the patient at the first prenatal visit appropriate prevention tools. This article provides diagrams demonstrating proper postural techniques for saving patients' backs from the pain and aggravation of LBP during pregnancy.