Carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy

Abstract To determine the frequency of carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnancy 100 women in the third trimester of pregnancy at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania were examined. The findings in this group were compared with those in a group of 100 student nurses of the same hospital. Eighteen per cent of the women in the pregnant group had symptoms or sensory signs of median nerve compression at the carpal tunnel. Only three of the student nurses exhibited signs. The condition was most frequently bilateral and appeared to increase with age and gravity. Generally, the patients did not complain sufficiently of symptoms to warrant treatment. Motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity studies done failed to demonstrate any abnormality.