Impact of expectation, catastrophizing, and self-compassion on labour pain experiences among Portuguese women

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

AIMS/BACKGROUND: Childbirth evokes a mix of emotions, including happiness, fear, and pain, shaped by biological, cognitive, and emotional factors. This study examines how pain expectation, catastrophizing, and self-compassion impact the experience and recall of labour pain. METHODS: Seventy-six pregnant women completed the numeric pain scale (NS) in three different moments: the expected pain (EP) before delivery, the maximum pain experienced during delivery, actual pain (AP), and the retrospective pain (RP) after delivery. Additionally, scales measuring catastrophizing (PCS) and self-compassion (SELFCS) were administered. High pain expectations may contribute to actual pain levels during labour, particularly with induced labour. CONCLUSION: Many women experience persistent pain post-childbirth, highlighting the need for tailored interventions to manage expectations and provide effective coping strategies. This study underscores the need to address pain expectations in antenatal care and target catastrophizing tendencies to improve the labour pain experience and prevent chronic postpartum pain. Larger studies are needed to validate these results and inform the development of effective interventions, ultimately enhancing maternal well-being during and after childbirth.