Mode of delivery and persistence of pelvic girdle syndrome 6 months postpartum.

Abstract

We sought to study the association between mode of delivery and persistent pelvic girdle syndrome (PGS) (pain in anterior and bilateral posterior pelvis) 6 months postpartum. We followed up 10,400 women with singleton deliveries in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study who reported PGS in pregnancy week 30 (1999 through 2008). Data were obtained by 3 self-administered questionnaires and linked to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Planned cesarean section was associated with the presence of severe PGS 6 months postpartum (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-3.9). In women who used crutches during pregnancy, emergency (adjusted OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0-4.0) and planned (adjusted OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.9-5.9) cesarean section were each associated with severe PGS. The results suggest an increased risk of severe PGS 6 months postpartum in women who underwent a cesarean section vs women who had an unassisted vaginal delivery.