Evaluation of pain before and after vaginal delivery

Author(s)

Alves, B. ^[1] ; Zakka, T. ; Teixeira, M. J. ^[2] ; Siqueira, J. T. T. ^[3] ; Siqueira, S. R. D. T. ^{[3, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Arts Sci & Humanities, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Hosp Clin, Interdisciplinary Pain Ctr, Neurol Dept, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Hosp Clin, Orofacial Pain Team, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY; v. 36, n. 4, p. 241-244, 2009.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this Pilot Study was to determine pain characteristics of pregnant women immediately before and after childbirth by vaginal delivery and to compare them with the pain intensity reported by physicians. Methods: We evaluated 20 Brazilian women between September and December 2007 with the WHOQOL-Bref instrument, VAS, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Anxiety Adapted Scale. We interviewed the obstetrician with the VAS about the patient's pain, Data were analyzed with the chi-square test. Results: Mean age was 22.35 years (SD = 6.24, range 15-39 years). It was necessary to use oxytocin in 15 (75%) patients, which had no correlation with anxiety degree. Higher intensity of pain (p < 0.05) and higher anxiety index (p < 0.05) were more common in women in the first pregnancy. Conclusions: Higher pain intensity was associated with higher anxiety levels (p < 0.05). Around half of the obstetricians' VAS scores were lower than the VAS scores of women, and probably pain at labor was underestimated and not controlled. Higher indices of anxiety and pain were associated, and were more frequent in women in the first pregnancy. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/00193-8 - Evaluation of Pain before and after vaginal delivery
• Grantee: Silvia Regina Dowgan Tesseroli de Siqueira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Scientific article