Fibromyalgia & musculoskeletal pain
Association between reproductive factors and fibromyalgia: a cross-sectional analysis of female health profiles
Main finding · FMResult — go to the resultAdjusted odds ratio 2.46 95% CI 1.28–4.72Authors' conclusion
Grand multiparity was independently associated with fibromyalgia, suggesting that cumulative hormonal and physiological stress from multiple pregnancies may contribute to chronic pain susceptibility.
Study context
- Population
- Women aged 18–50 years with ≥1 prior live birth, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rheumatology and Gynaecology outpatient clinics, March–December 2024
- Participants
- 260 women
- Exposure
- Grand multiparity vs fewer births
- Outcome
- FM (2016 revised American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria) and its association with parity and age at first pregnancy
Methodological detailsobservational, multivariate logistic regression adjusting for age, BMI, comorbidities and educational level
- Observational
- Multivariate logistic regression adjusting for age, BMI, comorbidities and educational level
Main finding
FM
Adjusted odds ratio
2.46
95% CI 1.28–4.72
P = 0.006
≥3 live birthsvs Fewer births
aOR 2.46 (95% CI 1.28–4.72); P = 0.006
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) (all participants)
- FM diagnosed
- 104 (40%)
Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity Scale (SSS) and Global Symptom Score (GSS) scores, FM vs no FM
- Correlation WPI–GSS
- r=0.782
- Correlation WPI–SSS
- r=0.472
- Significantly higher WPI, SSS and GSS scores in FM-diagnosed participants (p=0.001 for all)
Original publication
Association between reproductive factors and fibromyalgia: a cross-sectional analysis of female health profiles. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 2 October 2025. doi:10.
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