Epidemiological Study of Prevalence of Entrapment Neuropathies Among Pregnant Women Attending the Hospital and Health Care Center in New Damietta

Abstract

Background: Reproductive hormone release during pregnancy induces a cascade of other physiological changes that can have an impact on the peripheral nerve. Meralgia paresthetica and carpal tunnel syndrome are two entrapment neuropathies that frequently occurred during pregnancy.Aim of the work: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of entrapment neuropathy and related risk factors among pregnant women in New Damietta.Patients and Methods: Our study is a cross-sectional community-based study that included 1200 pregnant women. We collected our data in 3 steps, first by questionnaire, then the positive cases by questionnaire had undergone clinical examination, and the positive cases from examinations were confirmed by the neurophysiological study.Results: Prevalence of entrapment neuropathy was 10.4% by questionnaire, and 7.2% by examination. The accurate prevalence was confirmed by the nerve conduction study, which was 5.5%. Spearman correlation analysis was done to detect the correlation between the trimester, order of pregnancy, and neuropathy, and we found a significant positive correlation between the trimester and the neuropathy [r = 0.23, p-value = 0.03]. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to determine the significant predictors of Entrapment neuropathy in pregnant females as regards the results of the neurophysiological investigation. We found that the only significant factor which can predict the occurrence of entrapment neuropathy is the third trimester, P value < 0.04 which means that pregnant females in the second trimester have a lower risk of developing neuropathy than females in the third trimester by a degree of 12.2%Conclusion: The prevalence of entrapment neuropathies in pregnant women in Damietta is 5.5% are distributed as median, lateral femoral cutaneous. Facial, peroneal, intercostal nerves [3%, 2.7%, 1%, 0.2%, 1.8% respectively] With a predictor is the third trimester.

Keywords

• entrapment neuropathy
• pregnant women
• neurophysiological study