Pain aspects in oocyte aspiration for IVF

The aim of this observational two-centre study was to investigate different aspects of pain in oocyte aspiration in conjunction with IVF, whether the preoperative information to women was sufficient, and which factor(s) influenced a woman's sense of security. The study group comprised 124 women who underwent IVF treatment. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure pain, and multiple-choice questions were used to evaluate satisfaction and sense of security. The women rated expected pain significantly higher than mean pain during surgery (P < 0.0001). They would have accepted significantly more pain than they experienced (P < 0.0001). In a stepwise linear regression analysis, total dose of alfentanil was the only variable that was independently associated with mean pain. Satisfaction with the preoperative information was high. Women considered staff competence to be important for their sense of security. In conclusion, women rated oocyte aspiration to be less painful than they expected before surgery. This is important information for women who are about to start IVF treatment, since it might reduce apprehension about the level of pain that could be expected during oocyte aspiration.