Individual Characteristics and Pain Sensitivity during Pregnancy—A Cross-Sectional Study in Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women

Katarzyna Leźnicka (), Maciej Pawlak, Agata Gasiorowska, Aleksandra Jażdżewska, Dominika Wilczyńska, Paulina Godlewska, Anna Lubkowska, Monika Chudecka, Agnieszka Maciejewska-Skrendo, Rita Santos-Rocha and Anna Szumilewicz
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Katarzyna Leźnicka: Faculty of Physical Education, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, K. Górskiego St. 1, 80-336 Gdansk, Poland
Maciej Pawlak: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Poznan University of Physical Education, Królowej Jadwigi St. 27/39, 61-871 Poznań, Poland
Agata Gasiorowska: Faculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ostrowskiego 30b, 54-238 Wrocław, Poland
Aleksandra Jażdżewska: Faculty of Physical Education, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, K. Górskiego St. 1, 80-336 Gdansk, Poland
Dominika Wilczyńska: Faculty of Physical Education, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, K. Górskiego St. 1, 80-336 Gdansk, Poland
Paulina Godlewska: Faculty of Physical Education, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, K. Górskiego St. 1, 80-336 Gdansk, Poland
Anna Lubkowska: Department of Functional Diagnostics and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University, 54 Żołnierska St., 71-210 Szczecin, Poland
Monika Chudecka: Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, 40B Piastów St., 71-065 Szczecin, Poland
Agnieszka Maciejewska-Skrendo: Faculty of Physical Education, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, K. Górskiego St. 1, 80-336 Gdansk, Poland
Rita Santos-Rocha: ESDRM Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior, Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, 2040-413 Rio Maior, Portugal
Anna Szumilewicz: Faculty of Physical Education, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, K. Górskiego St. 1, 80-336 Gdansk, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics and factors related to pain perception in pregnant women, such as optimism, personality traits, and fear of developing COVID-19 consequences. Sixty-six pregnant women aged 23 to 42 years participated in the study, and the comparison group consisted of n = 59 non-pregnant female students aged 19 to 23 years. Pressure pain threshold and pain tolerance were measured with an algometer. To assess psychological characteristics, the Life-Orientation Test-Revised was used to assess optimism, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale was used to assess COVID-19 anxiety, and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory was applied to assess personality traits in a five-factor model. The main results of the study showed that pain tolerance was significantly lower in both dominant and non-dominant hand pregnant women than in the comparison group. The studied pregnant women had higher scores for conscientiousness, fear of COVID-19, and optimism compared with the non-pregnant women. Regression analysis showed that the variability in pain perception among pregnant women could not be explained by individual differences in personality traits, optimism, and fear of COVID-19.

Keywords: pregnancy; pain perception; optimism; personality trait; fear (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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