PainRelief.com Interview with:
Moe Takenoshita, M.B.B.Ch.
Postdoctoral scholar, Stanford University
PainRelief.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Sleep is a key component of postpartum recovery.1 It is linked to maternal mental, physical and social wellbeing, as well as maternal-infant bonding and infant outcomes.2–5 Several factors have been associated with impaired postpartum sleep, including maternal and infant clinical factors, socioeconomic and environmental factors.6,7 However, few studies have looked at the impact of delivery mode on postpartum sleep. This is significant because 32% of deliveries in the United States are caesarean delivery, and caesarean delivery rates are rising globally.8
We designed this study to look at how postpartum sleep experiences and the incidence of sleep disorders differ between caesarean and vaginal delivery. We also aimed to explore the relationship between delivery mode, pain and sleep.