Clinical Correlates of Pain with Second-Trimester
Genetic Amniocentesis
Watcharin Suntornlimsiri MD*,
Kanchana Naunkeaw BN**
Affiliation :
* Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nakornping Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand
** Department of Nursing, Nakornping Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Objective : To determine the correlation of clinical factors and maternal perceptions of pain with genetic
amniocentesis.
Material and Method: This prospective study of midtrimester, singleton pregnancies was conducted between
February 2007 and March 2008. Study variables included patient dermographics, previous amniocentesis,
previous abdominal surgery, maternal anxiety score, abdominal wall thickness, needle insertion through
placenta and the depth of needle insertion. Maternal pain with performing amniocentesis was subjectively
quantified with the Thai short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire. The independent T-test, one way ANOVA and
linear regression were used for analysis, a probability value of < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results : One hundred and twenty-five pregnant women participated in the present study: 18.4% reported no
pain, 69.6% described the pain as mild, 11.2% described the pain as discomforting and 0.8% described the
pain as horrible. Mean intensity of pain was 2.1 + 1.9 (on a scale 0-10). Pain was most often described as
fearful, shooting, throbbing and sharp. Parity, gestational age, maternal BMI, anxiety score, previous surgery,
needle insertion through the placenta, abdominal wall thickness and the depth of needle insertion were not
correlated with perceived pain.
Conclusion : Most of the women reported no pain or mild or discomfort with genetic amniocentesis. Clinical
factors were not associated with maternal perceptions of pain.
Keywords : Amniocentesis, Pain, Clinical factors, Second trimester
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