Anxiety Assessment Using the Visual Analogue Scale Among Women Undergoing Elective Cesarean Section

Introduction Patients scheduled to undergo surgery are likely to experience anxiety. Furthermore, anxiety levels are significantly higher in obstetric patients compared to the general population. The most common operation performed on obstetric patients is a cesarean section. The purpose of our study is to evaluate pregnant women's anxiety prior to an elective cesarean section. Method A prospective study was conducted on a sample of hospitalized pregnant women scheduled for elective cesarean section in a Greek secondary hospital from October 2023 to March 2024. An anonymous questionnaire was administered 12-15 hours before delivery. The first part of the questionnaire included demographic data and closed-ended questions regarding educational level, parity, type of anesthesia in a previous cesarean section, and the presence of pathology in the current pregnancy. The second part consisted of the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for anxiety assessment. A total of 50 pregnant women participated in this study with a mean age of 30.5 years old (SD=6.1). Results  The average anxiety score was 6.14 with a standard deviation of 2.52. From the relationships examined, it emerged that higher VAS values are expected for younger women (r=-0.344; p=0.014). Additionally, significantly higher values were recorded for nulliparous women (M=7.54; SD=2.5) compared to multiparous women (M=5.65; SD=2.37) according to the independent samples t-test (t=-2.437; p=0.019). From the same analysis, significantly higher values were observed for pregnant women exhibiting pregnancy-related pathologies (M=7.60; SD=1.43) compared to women undergoing a smoothly progressing, uncomplicated pregnancy (M=5.78; SD=2.61) (t=-2.117; p=0.039). Finally, there was no statistically significant difference between the level of education or the type of anesthesia in a previous cesarean section and the VAS. Conclusion Anxiety prior to an elective cesarean section is expected to be greater in younger women and in nulliparous, while it is also higher for women with pregnancy-related pathologies. Participating in antenatal classes, creating a birth plan, and receiving professional support from health providers are examples of effective strategies to reduce anxiety, even before an elective cesarean section.