[Assessment of maternal satisfaction with epidural analgesia for pain control during labour]

To determine the level of satisfaction and the sociodemographic characteristics of patients who receive epidural analgesia during labour.

A SERVQHOS questionnaire administered, with consecutive sampling, to 140 patients who had received an epidural anaesthetic for pain control during labour between January and June 2014, at the Hospital San Pedro.

A total of 140 questionnaires were completed. The mean overall satisfaction (SERVQHOS scale) was 4.4 with standard deviation (SD):±0.9, with the best results being obtained in the subjective ítems: (4.3; SD 0.81) compared to the objective ítems (4; SD: 0.9). The large majority (84.3%) showed satisfaction with the epidural anaesthetic, and 100% would ask for it again. No significant differences were found in epidural satisfaction or pain perception related to socioeconomic variables (age, nationality, employment conditions, education level or marital status). As regards nationality, 119 (85%) were Spanish, and 14.3% (20) of other nationalities, with 1 patient not answering the nationality question. As regards marital status, 79.3% (111) were married, 1.4% (2), single, and 2.9% (4) were widows or separated, and 2.9% (4) did not answer. The mean age was 33.3 years (SD: 4.4). Prior to the administration of the epidural anaesthetic 93.2% of the Spanish citizens group described the pain as severe compared to 95% of the other nationalities group, but this difference had no statistical significance (p=.279).

The level of satisfaction reported by the patients with this technique was high, with subjective items (good manners and trust) being appreciated more.