Relationship of postpartum back pain with breast feeding, feeding posture and bone mineral density measured by quantitative ultrasound

Abstract

The relationship between postpartum back pain and breastfeeding was investigated from the perspective of low bone mineral density. A total of 297 women who delivered at our hospital were included in this study, and a questionnaire created by our hospital was sent to women 4 months after delivery; the 215 patients who responded were included. The survey items were age, pre-pregnancy BMI, number of births, ultrasonic bone density, presence or absence and severity of back pain, breastfeeding rate and breastfeeding posture. Back pain was evaluated by VAS in each month after delivery. The severity was calculated based on the average value for each month; women with a score ≥4 were defined as having back pain. Bone mineral density was measured by ultrasound after delivery, and breastfeeding rates were categorized as in 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0%. It was found that 134 women (62.3%) had low back pain after delivery. In relation to breastfeeding, the 100% breastfeeding group had higher frequency and severity of back pain. In relation to bone mineral density, there was no difference in the rate and severity of back pain between the two groups, low bone mineral density and high mineral density, in the 100% breastfeeding women. The rate of back pain was significantly higher in those with postural abnormalities during lactation (p< 0.05). In recent years, some reports have implicated low bone density as the cause of postpartum back pain. In the present study, postural abnormalities were more involved than breastfeeding and low bone mineral density.