Implications of pain in functional activities in immediate postpartum period according to the mode of delivery and parity: an observational study

Highlights

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  Cesarean section births postpartum had higher pain intensity during movement compared to vaginal delivery births.

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  In postpartum, cesarean births showed greater functional limitation for selected movements than vaginal births.

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  Parity had no association with the functional limitations complaint.

Abstract

Objectives

To identify women's complaints about pain in the immediate postpartum of vaginal delivery and cesarean section; to measure the intensity of pain in postpartum women at rest and with selected movements and to compare the activity limitations in relation to the mode of delivery and parity.

Method

Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Eighty-six women, in the immediate postpartum period after vaginal delivery ( n = 43) and cesarean section ( n = 43), were evaluated for physical discomforts and their difficulty in performing functional activities.

Results

Abdominal pain (mean differences = −39.5%; 95% CI = −57.3 to −21.8%), neck pain (mean differences = −16.3%; 95% CI = −32.3 to −0.3%) and edema (mean differences = −41.4%; 95% CI = −63.3 to −20.4%) were reported of cesarean women postpartum. Perineal pain ( p < 0.05) was reported in vaginal delivery women postpartum. Postpartum pain was more severe during movement after cesarean section ( p < 0.05) resulting in pain during the activities of sitting down (mean differences = −30.2%; 95% CI = −50.7 to −9.8%), standing up from a sitting position (mean differences = −46.5%; 95% CI = −65.0 to −28.0%), walking (mean differences = −44.2%; 95% CI = −65.2 to −23.1%), lying down (mean differences = −32.6%; 95% CI = −54.9 to −10.3%) and taking a bath (mean differences = −24.0%; 95% CI = −43.1 to −5.0%). Correspondence analysis found no association between parity and functional limitations.

Conclusion

The highest number of complaints was associated with movement activities and cesarean section postpartum. There was no relationship between functional limitations and parity in this study.