摘要:Background: This study aims to assess knowledge, attitude and acceptance of antenatal women for pain relief
methods during labor and to know the effect of presumed availability of pain relief methods during labor on the
attitude of women towards the mode of delivery.
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at a tertiary hospital between January and
December 2016. A structured interview questionnaire had been administered including data related to current
pregnancy, knowledge, attitude and previous experience of pain, labor analgesia, women’s attitude toward the
mode of delivery and its relation to the availability of adequate analgesia during labor. Visual analog scale (VAS)
was used to assess pregnant women’s attitude towards pain in general and that related to the process of labor (past
and expected experience).
Results: Eight hundred and fourteen women were included in the study. The majority of our participants (82.9%)
were unaware about the availability of labor analgesia. Sixty of the study participants preferred cesarean section
(CS) to avoid labor pain. Availability of adequate pain relief during labor could decrease the women decision of
CS by more than 50% in women expecting moderate and severe pain during labor compared to non-availability
of pain relief (9.6% vs. 22.7% and 8.2% vs. 28.1% respectively).
Conclusion: There is a great lack of knowledge regarding the availability of pain relief during labor. Lack of pain
relief during labor can be responsible for more than half of women’s intention to prefer CS as a mode of delivery.