Pregnancy-Related Pelvic Girdle Pain in Polish and Norwegian Women

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess prevalence of pelvic girdle pain (PGP) in Polish and Norwegian pregnant women. Methods: We enrolled 189 Polish and 75 Norwegian randomly selected pregnant women. The participants were 12 to 36 weeks pregnant. They filled in a self-administered questionnaire concerning their demographic data, pregnancy parameters, and the character and location of pain. To differentiate between various kinds of pain, pain maps were used. The participants could mark lumbar pain, PGP, or combined pain (PGP ; lumbar pain). Based on pain locations, different subgroups of PGP were recognized. To assess the intensity and functional limitations related to PGP, the pain scale and the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire were used. Results: The prevalence of isolated PGP did not differ statistically between the groups, being declared by 17% of Polish women and 19% of Norwegian women (P = .074). Overall prevalence of PGP (together with combined pain) was reported more often by Norwegian women (56%) than Polish women (42%) (P = .043). The pain in all 3 pelvic joints was statistically more common in Norwegian women as well (P = .037). There were no other statistical differences in PGP subgroups between the participants. Mean values of the numeric pain scale were 4.87 for Poles and 4.88 for Norwegians, and of the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire 32.67% and 41.76% for Poles and Norwegians, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Isolated PGP has been reported by a similar percentage of Polish and Norwegian women. The severity of signs and symptoms of PGP is similar in both study groups.