Postpartum pain perception of women 24-48 hours after a cesarean section and its relationship to selected predictor variables

A nonexperimental, correlational, prospective study was conducted to determine If selected predictor variables affect women's perception of pain after a cesarean section delivery of their Infants. The purpose of the study was to determine within the conceptual framework of Dorothy Johnson's behavioral systems model whether there was a relationship between postpartum pain perception and (a) anxiety, (b) gravidity, (c) primary cesarean section (PCS) and/or repeat cesarean section (RCS), and (d) length of labor. Thirty patients on a postpartum nursing unit at a southeastern university medical center participated In the study. The researcher used Dartmouth Pain Questionnaires, State-Trait Anxiety Inventories, and demographic Information forms to collect the data. Data was analyzed using frequency distribution, means, and correlations. A significant relationship was found to exist between (a) state anxiety and pain perception and (b) trait anxiety and pain perception. Another significant relationship was demonstrated between cesarean section and gravidity. No significant relationships were found to exist between postpartum pain perception and gravidity, and PCS and/or RCS. Length of labor and pain could not be analyzed because those subjects who had no labor were Included with those that had labor pain thereby Invalidating the results and making It Impossible to draw conclusions. The researcher concluded that more research Is needed to define postpartum pain and to Identify variables that exacerbate postpartum pain. A much larger sample size is needed to provide more valid results in the study of postpartum pain.