Psychophysical correlates of labor pain intensity and unpleasantness.
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| Title: | Psychophysical correlates of labor pain intensity and unpleasantness. |
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| Authors: | Sun, Lee-Kai (AUTHOR), Farrell, Lia M. (AUTHOR), LaSorda, Kelsea R. (AUTHOR), Krafty, Robert T. (AUTHOR), Lim, Grace (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology. Dec2025, Vol. 46 Issue 1, p1-7. 7p. |
| Subjects: | Labor pain (Obstetrics), Pleasantness & unpleasantness (Psychology), Psychological factors, Pain threshold, Affective disorders, Neurophysiology, Sensory evaluation |
| Abstract: | The neurobiological mechanisms linking perinatal pain and mood disorders remain unclear. Emotional dimensions of labor pain, particularly unpleasantness, may reflect engagement of limbic pathways shared with affective disorders. This study examined whether prenatal quantitative sensory testing (QST) parameters are associated with the sensory and emotional dimensions of labor pain. Healthy primiparous women were enrolled and followed from third trimester through delivery. Prenatal QST assessed mechanical and thermal thresholds, tolerances, and temporal summation. Labor pain was recorded hourly using a validated electronic diary. Univariable linear regression evaluated relationships between QST measures and labor pain outcomes. Of 164 participants completing QST, , 55 had complete labor pain diaries. Prenatal QST parameters were associated with emotional, but not sensory, aspects of labor pain. Pain unpleasantness was associated with average heat threshold (Coefficient = 40.3, SE = 17.2, p = 0.02), post wind-up pain (Coefficient = −48.9, SE = 25.3, p = 0.06) and post probe pain (Coefficient = −52.7, SE = 26.8, p = 0.06), using a p < 0.1 threshold to identify associations. Although exploratory, these findings suggest that prenatal QST, particularly thermal threshold and central sensitization measures, may help identify individuals at risk for maladaptive labor pain and postpartum mood disorders. SUMMARY STATEMENT: Prenatal quantitative sensory testing (QST) is associated with the emotional, but not sensory, dimensions of labor pain, suggesting that labor pain unpleasantness may reflect individual differences in central pain processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | The neurobiological mechanisms linking perinatal pain and mood disorders remain unclear. Emotional dimensions of labor pain, particularly unpleasantness, may reflect engagement of limbic pathways shared with affective disorders. This study examined whether prenatal quantitative sensory testing (QST) parameters are associated with the sensory and emotional dimensions of labor pain. Healthy primiparous women were enrolled and followed from third trimester through delivery. Prenatal QST assessed mechanical and thermal thresholds, tolerances, and temporal summation. Labor pain was recorded hourly using a validated electronic diary. Univariable linear regression evaluated relationships between QST measures and labor pain outcomes. Of 164 participants completing QST, , 55 had complete labor pain diaries. Prenatal QST parameters were associated with emotional, but not sensory, aspects of labor pain. Pain unpleasantness was associated with average heat threshold (Coefficient = 40.3, SE = 17.2, p = 0.02), post wind-up pain (Coefficient = −48.9, SE = 25.3, p = 0.06) and post probe pain (Coefficient = −52.7, SE = 26.8, p = 0.06), using a p < 0.1 threshold to identify associations. Although exploratory, these findings suggest that prenatal QST, particularly thermal threshold and central sensitization measures, may help identify individuals at risk for maladaptive labor pain and postpartum mood disorders. SUMMARY STATEMENT: Prenatal quantitative sensory testing (QST) is associated with the emotional, but not sensory, dimensions of labor pain, suggesting that labor pain unpleasantness may reflect individual differences in central pain processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 0167482X |
| DOI: | 10.1080/0167482X.2025.2527670 |
