Back Pain During Pregnancy

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Rheumatologist, discusses back pain in pregnancy.

Rheumatologist, discusses back pain in pregnancy.

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Video transcript

Featuring Dr. Maziar Badii, MD, FRCP

Duration: 1 minute, 56 seconds

Women who get pregnant or are expecting to get pregnant can expect to have back pain.

In fact, up to 50 percent of women experience back pain during their pregnancy. Sometimes this back pain can be mild. It can sometimes be so severe that it may interfere with their work, or with their day-to-day activities. It may even predispose back pain during future pregnancies.

What’s important to point out though is, and this is quite reassuring to a lot of mothers and expecting parents, is that the presence or absence of back pain is in no way related to birth outcomes.

There has been no association found between the presence of back pain and things like weight at birth, birth length, APGAR scores. Certain body mechanical factors have been found to influence the risk and the severity of developing back pain in pregnant women.

The body mechanical factors would include things like the transverse diameter, as well as the curve in the back, the angle of lordosis, so have a flat back versus have a curve, it makes a difference in how much the body can withstand that increased pain, that increased weight that we get as women get pregnant and the baby grows.

Simple analgesic medications like acetaminophen, Tylenol, are not out of the question. They can be used, as long as you’ve cleared them with your family physician or your pharmacist. If you’ve used all these simple strategies and still you’re experiencing back pain, even if it’s not severe, if there’s any concern, see your healthcare provider, see your family physician.

You might visit a rheumatologist for information on what is, conditions, side effects, symptoms and treatments related to back pain during pregnancy, pregnancy back supports and joint pain in pregnancy.

Presenter: Dr. Maziar Badii, Rheumatologist, Vancouver, BC

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Back Pain During Pregnancy ( 7 participated.)

97-100 People got two or more of these video questions wrong...

Questions
 
True
False
1

Continuous back pain in pregnancy usually lasts into the postpartum phase.

Explanation:

If a woman has continuous back pain in pregnancy, it generally lasts into the postpartum phase.

2

The pregnancy hormone relaxin decreases back pain during pregnancy.

Explanation:

Relaxin changes joint stability, muscles and a woman’s centre of gravity. It is a common cause of back pain in pregnancy.

3

Malignment of the pelvis is a common cause of low back pain during pregnancy.

Explanation:

Pelvic malignment is a common cause of low back pain during pregnancy.

4

Radicular pain means that the back pain runs down the leg.

Explanation:

If you have radicular back pain during pregnancy, it could potentially mean that there's a nerve compression or a disk bulge.

5

To maintain good posture during pregnancy, hold your head up with your chin out.

Explanation:

For good standing posture, hold your head up straight with your chin in slightly. Avoid standing in the same position for too long and wear supportive shoes.

This content is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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