Objective

To estimate the incidence, intensity and quality for pain post-cesarean section.

Methods

Cross-sectional study. A total of 1062 post-cesarean section women were interviewed in immediates pre- and post-operative. Pain intensity and quality were evaluated through the Numerical Rating Scale (0-10) and McGill Pain Questionnaire-SF. The variables were explored by descriptive measures and the incidence of postoperative pain calculated with a 95% confidence interval.

Results

The incidence of pain was 92,7% (IC 95%: 90,9 - 94,2). The average level of pain intensity at the time of worst pain was 6,6 (dp=2,2). The descriptors more frequently chosen were “aching” (91.6%) “tender” (70.0%) and “throbbing” (56.1%).

Conclusions

High-intensity postoperative pain is a reality for post-cesarean section women, showing the importance of pain assessment for implementation of curative and preventive actions to reduce losses in the recovery of women.

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