Patient and Provider Perspectives on Cesarean Delivery Pain and Anesthesia Experiences: A Qualitative Study

There is a lack of evidence on the importance of pain or other aspects of clinical care in the overall patient experience and patient-centered outcomes in cesarean delivery. The purpose of this study was to discover patient priorities in cesarean delivery anesthesia experience, to compare patient and provider perspectives, and to explore attitudes on shared decision-making around anesthesia choices for cesarean delivery.

Patients with recent cesarean deliveries and clinical care providers were approached using a purposeful sampling strategy for this prospective observational qualitative study. Patients were included if they were in the hospital within 72 hours of a cesarean delivery (scheduled or unscheduled), spoke English fluently, and had term gestation. Providers were included if they currently provide regular clinical care to patients having cesarean deliveries and have at least 3 years of practice experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Interview transcripts were independently coded by three coders and qualitatively analyzed for major themes until thematic saturation was achieved.

A total of 42 participants (20 patients and 22 providers) completed interviews. Five major themes emerged reflecting patient attitudes and beliefs toward cesarean delivery experience: (1) effective communication, education, and respect; (2) emotional support by care team; (3) intraoperative pain or discomfort; (4) varying acceptability around pain therapies; and (5) stigma surrounding cesarean delivery. Five major themes emerged reflecting provider attitudes and beliefs toward cesarean delivery priorities: (1) complexity of pain responses; (2) multiple pain control strategies; (3) effective communication during emergency cesarean delivery; (4) patient psychological well-being during cesarean delivery; and (5) barriers to observing the patients' birth plans.

Patients and providers alike desire pain management, psychological well-being, and effective communication during cesarean delivery. Patients emphasize relationships and trust in their cesarean experience, while clinicians emphasize clinical complexities and physical treatments.