Lumbopelvic pain associated with catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs in early pregnancy

Objective. To examine and compare levels of catastrophizing, fear-avoidance beliefs, physical ability, and health-related quality of life in women with and without lumbopelvic pain (LP and NLP) in early pregnancy. Design. A cross-sectional study of early pregnancy. Setting. Five midwife clinics, one in the center, two in the outskirts of Stockholm, and two in a medium-sized town. Population. Three hundred and twenty-four women in the 19th-21st week of pregnancy. Methods. Questionnaires. Main outcome measures. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale of exaggerated negative thoughts about pain experiences, the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire of beliefs about how physical activity and work affect back pain, the Disability Rating Index of physical ability, and the Nottingham Health Profile to assess health-related quality of life. Results. Two groups were defined: LP (n=141) and NLP (n=183). The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for comparisons. Pregnant women with LP had significantly (p0.05) higher levels of exaggerated negative thoughts and fear-avoidance beliefs. They also had lower physical ability and health-related quality of life compared to women in the NLP group. Conclusions. It is important to consider exaggerated negative thoughts about pain experiences and fear-avoidance beliefs when treating women with LP during pregnancy and to be aware of the great impact lumbopelvic pain has on women's lives during early pregnancy.