Impact of Antenatal Lumbopelvic Pain on Fear of Childbirth, Pregnancy-Related Quality of Life, and Kinesiophobia

Antenatal Lumbopelvic Pain and its Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Antenatal lumbopelvic pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal discomforts that affects women during pregnancy. There are numerous reasons for the pain, commonly it arises due to biomechanical, hormonal, and postural changes and can significantly restrict daily activities of functional living. In addition, it may contribute to the psychological disturbances including fear of childbirth. Therefore, understanding the relationship between lumbopelvic pain and the fear of childbirth, quality of life, and kinesiophobia in pregnant women is essential for developing targeted interventions to improve maternal well-being.

Methodology: The data was collected from 105 pregnant women aged 18 to 40 years, diagnosed with lumbopelvic pain and the positive posterior pelvic pain provocation test. The level of pain intensity, fear of childbirth, quality of life, and kinesiophobia were outcome variables that were measured using the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), tokophobia severity scale (TSS), quality of life gravidarum questionnaire (QoL-GRAV), and Tampa scale of kinesiophobia, respectively.

Results: Pearson correlation test was used to assess the correlation between the study variables and p < 0.05 was considered significant. Higher lumbopelvic pain weakly correlates with fear of childbirth (r=0.374) and kinesiophobia (r=0.013). However, a weak negative correlation was observed between lumbopelvic and pregnancy-related quality of life (r=-0.159).

Conclusion: The antenatal LPP pain is associated with fear of childbirth and pregnancy-related QOL. However, the relationship between LLP and kinesiophobia was found to be non-significant.

Keywords: Fear, Kinesiophobia, Low Back Pain, Lumbopelvic pain, Pregnancy, Quality of life

To cite this article: Abbas H, Jamil A, Arshad K. Impact of Antenatal Lumbopelvic Pain on Fear of Childbirth, Pregnancy-Related Quality of Life, and Kinesiophobia. Pakistan Journal of Rehabilitation. 2026; 15(1):31-34.