This study showed that pain-related catastrophizing is
a prospective predictor of subsequent increases in both
PR-LBP intensity and interference during the third trimester.
Consistent with Chang et al. (2011a), pain catastrophizing
is related to PR-LBP. This study, however, further
found a potential role for pain catastrophizing in the development
of future or worsening PR-LBP. Given that pain catastrophizing
is a modifiable risk factor (Turk & Gatchel
2002), the findings raise the intriguing opportunity that
pregnant women might benefit from treatments that have a
proven efficacy for reducing or eliminating pain catastrophizing
(Thorn et al. 2007). Research examining this
opportunity is clearly warranted.