Occupational lifting and pelvic pain during pregnancy: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 05/17/2012

Larsen PS et al. – Occupational lifting may increase the risk of pelvic pain during pregnancy.

• The study comprised 50 143 pregnant women, enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort in the period from 1996–2002.
• During pregnancy, the women provided information on occupational lifting (weight load and daily frequency), and six months post partum on pelvic pain.
• Adjusted odds ratios for pelvic pain during pregnancy according to occupational lifting were calculated by logistic regression.

• Any self–reported occupational lifting (>1 time/day and loads weighing >10 kg) was associated with an increased risk of pelvic pain during pregnancy as compared to no such lifting.
• A confounder–adjusted exposure–response relation was observed between self–reported total loads lifted and pelvic pain during pregnancy.
• Daily lifting of both medium (11–20 kg) and heavy loads (>20 kg) were associated with increased risk, and the highest risk was observed among women who lifted heavy loads independent of exposure to medium loads.