The Relationship Between Perceived Fear and Post-Operative Pain Intensity Following Cesarean Section in Primigravida Mothers

Background: Cesarean section elicits various physiological and psychological responses in patients. Anxiety arises from the fear of the unknown and uncertainty regarding the procedure's outcome. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the perception of fear and postoperative pain intensity following a Cesarean section in primigravida mothers. Methods: A quantitative approach was employed using a one-group pretest-posttest research design. The population consisted of 249 pregnant primigravida women; purposive sampling was used to select a sample of 58 respondents. The variables studied were the independent variable (perception of fear) and the dependent variable (pain intensity). The study was conducted at Nahdlatul Ulama Hospital, Tuban, between March and May 2026. Results: The study found that 47 respondents (81.0%) perceived severe fear, while 31 respondents (53.4%) experienced severe postoperative pain. The Spearman correlation test yielded a p-value of 0.001 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: It is concluded that there is a relationship between the perception of fear and postoperative pain intensity following a Cesarean section in primigravida mothers; therefore, implementing comprehensive interventions addressing both psychological and physiological aspects can help manage postoperative pain intensity in this group.