Incidence, pain, and mobility assessment of pregnant women with sacroiliac dysfunction

Objectives: To determine the incidence of sacroiliac dysfunction in pregnancy and assess its progress during the course of the pregnancy. Methods: The present prospective cohort study, performed between April 1, 2013, and May 31, 2016, enrolled primigravidae aged 25–35 years before 13 weeks of pregnancies who were experiencing back pain and did not have prior symptoms of sacroiliac dysfunction. Participants attended regular follow-up over 6 months and clinical functional tests were used to diagnose sacroiliac dysfunction. Women with sacroiliac dysfunction were assessed at 3-week intervals with a numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) and the pregnancy mobility index (PMI). Results: Among 1500 women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 1181 (78.7%) were diagnosed with sacroiliac dysfunction and 1143 completed all follow-up. Pain assessed by the NPRS gradually worsened from the first toward the third trimester (P<0.001). The level of disability assessed by the PMI also increased from the beginning to the end of pregnancy (P<0.001). Conclusion: Sacroiliac dysfunction represents an important problem during pregnancy; pain severity and mobility problems increased during the course of pregnancy in the present study. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12613000246785.