Pharmacologic Stepwise Multimodal Approach for Postpartum Pain Management

Pain in the postpartum period is common and considered by many individuals to be both problematic and persistent (1). Pain can interfere with individuals' ability to care for themselves and their infants, and untreated pain is associated with risk of greater opioid use, postpartum depression, and development of persistent pain (2). Clinicians should therefore be skilled in individualized management of postpartum pain. Though no formal time-based definition of postpartum pain exists, the recommendations presented here provide a framework for management of acute perineal, uterine, and incisional pain. This Clinical Consensus document was developed using an a priori protocol in conjunction with the authors listed. This document has been revised to incorporate more recent evidence regarding postpartum pain.