Satisfaction of patients in pain management delivering in Reunion Island with or without neuraxial analgesia

Abstract

Background: Neuraxial analgesia (NA) rate during labour in Reunion Island is below the average rate in continental France. Our study objective was to know if the patients that deliver with or without NA were satisfied. We also wanted to identify the reasons of this lower rate.

Method: This was a multicentre prospective observational study led in the seven Reunion Island maternity hospitals including all patients who delivered after 24 weeks of gestation onwards during two weeks in 2019 and excluding scheduled caesarean sections. Included patients received a satisfaction questionnaire the day after delivery and returned it before leaving.

Results: Of the 497 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 303 questionnaires were analysable. 216 patients had NA (71.3 %) and 87 patients (28.7 %) delivered without. A total of 88.0 % of patients with NA were satisfied with pain management compared to 83.9 % without. There was no significant difference between the groups (p=0.68). Among patients who delivered without NA, it was their choice in 55.2 % of cases. They wanted the most natural birth possible in 87.5 % of cases. Birth without NA in opposition to their wish was related to too rapid dilation in 90.0 % of lowerecases.

Discussion: No significant difference in satisfaction between women who delivered with or without NA was found. The lower regional NA rate seems to be linked to a choice to give birth as naturally as possible and to too fast dilation at the time of requesting NA.

Keywords: Analgesic methods; Delivery; Epidural analgesia; Labour; Satisfaction.