Diabetes mellitus and pelvic girdle syndrome in pregnancy--is there an association?

Abstract

Objective: Increased levels of relaxin, a hormone structurally belonging to the insulin-like growth factor family, has been associated with both pelvic girdle pain and type 1 diabetes in pregnancy. However, an association between pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy and diabetes has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not an association exists between diabetes and pelvic girdle syndrome.

Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire study.

Setting: All women 18-40 years old, in two municipalities in Norway during 1998-1999 were eligible for the study. Sample. A total of 1,816 women with at least one prior delivery constituted the study sample.

Methods: Pelvic girdle syndrome during last pregnancy was the outcome variable, defined as pain in the anterior pelvis and bilateral posterior pelvis. The impact of diabetes on developing pelvic girdle syndrome was estimated as odds ratios in logistic regression analyses.

Results: Diabetes increased the risk of pelvic girdle syndrome (adjusted odds ratio 7.3; 95% confidence interval: 1.8-28.5). In addition, age > or =25 years at delivery and obesity (body mass index > or =35) were associated with pelvic girdle syndrome. Parity and time since delivery were not significantly associated with pelvic girdle syndrome.

Conclusions: The results in multivariate analyses indicate an association between pelvic girdle syndrome and diabetes. The causes of pelvic girdle pain are not known. However, our results encourage further exploration of hormonal factors.