Relationship Between Physical Activity Levels and Psychosocial Factors Affecting Pain Perception in Pregnant Women with Lumbopelvic Pain

Introduction
In pregnant women with lumbopelvic pain (LPP), engaging in physical activity during pregnancy has many positive effects on both maternal and infant health. Various factors influence the level of physical activity, making it essential to analyze these factors during periods marked by notably changes in women’s lives, such as pregnancy. This study aims to explore the relationship between pregnancy-related psychosocial factors and distress, catastrophizing, and pain self-efficacy, which affect pain perception, and the physical activity levels in pregnant women with LPP.

Material and methods
The study was conducted with 60 pregnant women aged 20-36 who were in the second or third trimester and had lumbopelvic pain lasting more than 1 week. The surveys were delivered to the participants electronically. Antenatal Psychosocial Health Assessment Scale, Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire were used. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to measure the physical activity levels in pregnant women.

Results
No significant correlation was found between pregnancy-related psychosocial factors (p = 0.787), pregnancy-related distress (p = 0.295), catastrophizing (p = 0.150), and pain self efficacy (p = 0.153), and the levels of physical activity.

Conclusions
No significant relationship was found between psychosocial factors that have been shown to have an impact on pain perception in pregnant women with LPP and their physical activity levels. This shows that psychosocial factors are not an effective barrier to the physical activity levels of pregnant women with LPP and that other factors should be questioned to increase physical activity levels.