What women want? Results from a prospective multicenter study on women’s preference about pain management during labour

The aim of this study was to assess women preference about pain and duration of labour applying a standardized questionnaire. A prospective multicentre large cohort study was carried out in two different University Hospitals. A standardized questionnaire was proposed before active labour and the day after delivery in order to investigate whether women preferred low pain intensity for a longer labour duration or greater pain intensity for a shorter labour duration. The studied population was divided and analysed in two groups according to Epidural Analgesia (EA) administration. A multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to assess which variables were able to influence the opinion about the pain perception after birth. EA group showed an increased risk of episiotomy (p = 0.004), of longer duration of labour (Stage I, p