Dad's Anxiety durcing C-Section can increase Moms Pain

Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 41

Dad's Anxiety During C-Section May Give Mom More Pain
Researchers Recommend More Preparation For Birth Partners

A new study suggests that a dad's anxiety during a Caesarean operation could boost a mom's pain after the baby is delivered.

The study of 65 women and their birth partners is published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. The majority of the women had chosen their husband or partner to be their birth partner, with just four deciding on a female birth partner.

Researchers at the University of Bath and Imperial College London in the United Kingdom found that the way birth partners felt during C-sections was related to the woman's own levels of fear and anxiety about the operation.

This increased the amount of pain the woman felt immediately after the operation, which could affect her immediate recovery and could potentially influence other factors, such as breast-feeding and parent-child bonding, the researchers said.

The study found that women who had negative birth expectations before the operation had the most fear during the delivery, which in turn was related to greater post-operative pain.

It also showed that women are most afraid during the application of the nerve block used to numb the lower part of the body, rather than the initial incision, as the researchers expected.

The researchers said that, anecdotally, a number of birth partners said they had little choice in attending the C-section operation and felt ill-prepared.

"Birth partners can have potentially beneficial effects on maternal birth experiences," said Dr. Ed Keogh, from the University of Bath. "Rather than removing them from the operating (room) altogether, it would be better to target the emotional well-being of the birth partner to help reduce the anxiety and fear experienced by the mother."
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