Introduction: Postoperative pain is the worst pain that human can tolerate and severe pain can cause unfavorable hemodynamic and metabolic responses. The present study was performed aimed on investigating the relationship between preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain in patients with cesarean section to reduce anxiety in the future and decreasing postoperative pain and complications.
Methods: This descriptive, analytical and correlation study was conducted on 150 pregnant women who referred to Saqqez Imam Khomeini hospital for caesarean section in 2012. Sampling was accessible. Spielberger questionnaire and visual analogue scale were used respectively to assess patients' preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain. The Spielberger questionnaire was completed the night before surgery and pain questionnaire was completed 2 hours after surgery. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16, chi-square, Spearman and Pearson correlation tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: 69 patients (46%) had severe state preoperative anxiety and 12 women (8%) had severe trait preoperative anxiety and 108 women (72%) had severe postoperative pain. There is a significant correlation between state anxiety (p=0.001, r=0.25) and trait anxiety (p=0.001, r=0.28) before surgery and postoperative pain.
Conclusion: There is asignificant correlation between preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain in cesarean section.