a recent study shows that black and latina women report significantly more postpartum pain compared to white women. the research, conducted at northwestern medicine , found that black and latina women who reported higher pain actually received less opioid medication in hospital, and were less likely to receive a prescription for opioids once they were discharged.
“our study shows black and hispanic women experience disparities in pain management in the postpartum setting,” dr. nevert badreldin, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at northwestern university feinberg school of medicine and a northwestern medicine physician said in a press release . “these disparities cannot be explained by less perceived pain,” he said.
after delivering a baby, it’s common for women to use pain medication to manage pain that is associated with cramping, vaginal lacerations, and surgical and musculoskeletal pain. published in the journal obstetrics and gynecology , the researchers looked at 9,9000 deliveries at northwestern university’s prentice women’s hospital from december 2015 to november 2016.
advertisement
in an interview with the chicago tribune, badreldin said that the reasons for these gender disparities are complex. for example, cultural differences and language barriers may play a role in the inequality of pain management but it’s still unclear if the research from the study is the result of variables such as different prescribing by doctors, different ways of pain management by nurses, or different patient requests for opioids.
advertisement