Amniotic Membrane for Pain Control After Cesarean Section.

Objectives: Pain is one of the major problems for patients after cesarean section. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of amniotic membrane as cesarean wound dressing on pain after cesarean section. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 90 pregnant women who underwent cesarean section in Amir-al- Momenin hospital, Gerash, Iran. The participants were divided into 2 groups each of 45. The wound was dressed with amniotic membrane in one group and with simple gauze in the other group. Pain was measured and recorded in the 2 groups by visual analogue scale (VAS). The need for receiving analgesics 24 hours after the cesarean section was also assessed and compared between the 2 groups. Results: The results showed no significant difference between the 2 groups regarding the mean pain, 4 and 12 hours after the cesarean section (P = 0.308 and P = 0.628, respectively). However, a significant difference was observed between the 2 groups, in this regard, 24, 36, and 48 hours after the operation (P = 0.026, P = 0.026, and P = 0.004, respectively). Moreover, the patients in the amniotic membrane group needed less analgesics compared to those in the control group 24 hours after cesarean section (P = 0.041). Conclusions: Use of amniotic membrane dressing can be effective in reducing pain after cesarean section and can eliminate the patients' need for analgesics. Hence, it can be used as an effective complementary method along with usual analgesics for pain relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]