Common Pregnancy Related Musculoskeletal Complaits Arising Among the Women During Prenatal Period at Selected Hospitals in Bangladesh

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the common pregnancy related musculoskeletal complaints arising among the women during prenatal period at selected hospitals in Bangladesh. Objectives: To find out the common pregnancy related musculoskeletal complaints in different body region of both primigravida & multigravida, to find out the vulnerable age group of having musculoskeletal problems during pregnancy and to explore the gestational age when pregnancy related musculoskeletal complaints arises more frequently. Methodology: Method of the study was a quantitative research model in the form of a prospective type survey and cross sectional study design was carried out in this study. Data was collected from conveniently chosen 90 pregnant women from three selected hospitals, by using questionnaire with informed consent of the participants. Data were numerically coded and captured in Excel, using an SPSS 16.0 version software program. The researcher used descriptive statistics in this research. Results: Most of the participants 60% (54) were in second trimester, 32% (29) were in third trimester and 8% (7) were in first trimester of their pregnancy. Almost 38% of the participants were primigravida and rest 62% of the participants were multigravida in this study. The study result shows that a large number of participants 63.3% (57) complained of low back pain and 36.7% (33) did not, 45.6% (41) participants complained of pelvic girdle pain and 54.4% (49) participants had no pain, 44.4% (40) participants complained of ankle swelling and 55.6% (50) participants had no ankle swelling, vessels of legs swelling (varicose vein) in 26.7% (24) cases and not in 73.3% (66) cases, leg muscle cramping reported by 37.8% (34) participants and 62.2% (56) participants did not, stretch marks in abdominal muscle occurred in 40% (36) cases and in 60% (54) of cases no complaint of it, urinary incontinence in 14.4% (13) cases and not in 85.6% (77) cases during their pregnancy. Conclusion: In this study none of the participants received physiotherapy treatment for musculoskeletal complaints during prenatal period, so need raise awareness program for gynecological physiotherapy treatment and recommended for further study on postnatal musculoskeletal complaints.