Determinants of satisfaction with acute pain therapy during and after childbirth

Background An important task in obstetrics is to offer patients adequate pain management after vaginal delivery (VD) and after cesarean section (CS). The aim of the present analysis was to assess pain intensity at the day after childbirth, after 3 and 6 months in women after VD and after CS. Additionally, it was planned to identify determinants of maternal satisfaction with acute pain therapy following VD and CS. Methods This secondary analysis of a single-center prospective cohort study included 210 parturients. The women gave birth in the University Hospital of Wuerzburg. They completed a survey before childbirth (P), on the first day (D1), 3 and 6 months after VD and CS. The survey included questions about the expected pain, the experienced pain, the birth, the pain afterwards and also psychological questionnaires. In addition, information was collected from the patient records. Women with planned CS received spinal anesthesia. A secondary CS was performed with an epidural, spinal or general anesthesia. Pain therapy on the ward was standardized. The primary outcomes were acute and chronic pain intensity at rest, during movement, determinants of satisfaction with pain therapy and the wish to have received more pain medication during and after VD and CS (D1). Results A total of 175 women completed the survey at all time points and were available for the analysis (drop-out 16.8%). The results confirmed high pain levels at D1 after CS (median pain intensity during movement: 8 NRS points, interquartile range, IQR 6–9 points). After VD pain scores were much lower (median pain intensity during movement: 4 points, IQR 2–5 points). Of the mothers 7.4% reported pain at rest at all time points after VD or CS but pain intensity was low after 3 and 6 months (median pain intensity at rest: 2 points, IQR 0–3 points), 28% received extended-release opioids after CS and 33% of women (VD and CS) had an epidural. The most important influencing factor for lower satisfaction with pain therapy after CS or VD was inadequate pain relief. Women with VD who had an epidural, were more satisfied during delivery than women without but there was no difference at D1. Discussion This study confirmed high acute pain levels following CS and an incidence of chronic pain of around 7% but pain intensity was low and one third received strong opioids after CS. Around 11% of women after primary CS (8% epidural, 3% combined spinal/epidural) and around 55% of women after secondary CS had an epidural, which could be used for pain therapy after birth. Women without an epidural or without opioids may not have had good pain management. The received pain relief appeared to be the most relevant predictor for satisfaction and the wish to have received more pain medication. Mothers having a VD with an epidural catheter were more satisfied with pain therapy during birth than those without. Therefore, a better multimodal pain management (including opioids, epidural and nonopioids) might provide better pain relief and might improve overall satisfaction with pain treatment following CS. Finally, the received pain relief might be a better patient-related outcome measure for satisfaction with pain treatment after childbirth than pain intensity alone.