Association of Pain, Analgesic, Psychological, and Socioeconomic Factors With Subacute Pain After Childbirth: A Prospective Cohort Study

(J Clin Anesth. 2022;83:110978 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinane.2022.110978|) Persistent postpartum pain poses significant societal and health care challenges. It is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as pain lasting beyond 3 months after tissue injury, affecting up to 30% of postpartum women. Research primarily focuses on risk factors for persistent pain, including severe acute postpartum pain, psychological factors, and social deprivation. However, there is a lack of investigation into subacute pain after childbirth (lasting 4 wk to 3 mo). A previous study identified some risk factors for subacute pain, but the relationship between acute postpartum pain and subacute pain remains unexplored. This study aims to investigate these associations and explore potential interventions by anesthesiologists.