Relationships between somatosensory amplification, health anxiety, and low back pain among pregnant women

INTRODUCTION: A great proportion of pregnant women experience low back pain during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to uncover potential psychological mechanisms underlying pregnancy-related back pain.
METHODS: Fifty two women with low back pain and forty seven women without low back pain were volunteered to participate in the study. A battery set containing the Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was completed by all participants. Group comparisons were conducted using logistic regression analysis. Relationships of psychological symptoms with pain as measured by the VAS were assessed using regression analysis.
RESULTS: Regression models showed that somatosensory amplification satisfactorily explained the group difference between pregnant women with and without low back pain. A tendency to anomalous somatic sensation was associated with the individual differences on scores of the VAS.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We concluded that pregnant women high in somatosensory amplification were at greater risk of development of low back pain during pregnancy.