Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Biostatistics and Epidemiology 2383-4196 5 1 2019 11 10 58 65 Roya Baghani Department of Midwifery, School of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, sabzevar, Iran Masoumeh Sharifzadeh Department of Midwifery, School of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, sabzevar, Iran Mozhdeh Navi Nezhad Department of Midwifery, School of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, sabzevar, Iran Afsaneh Keramat Reproductive Studies and Women’s Health Research Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran Ahmad Khosravi Department of Epidemiology, Center for Health Related Social and Behavioral Sciences Research, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud Iran 2019 01 21 2019 07 16 Introduction: Recognition of labor pain is a primary concern of physicians, midwives and their clients in controlling labor pain and preventing the resulting suffering. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between self-esteem and anxiety with severity of pain and suffering of labor in women. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 365 mothers who experienced delivery at Shahidan Mobini hospital in Sabzevar in 2014. The data were collected using Rosenberg Self-esteem questionnaire and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety scales, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, and experience and perception of suffering. Data were analyzed using t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and chi-square test considering level of significance equal to 0.05. Results: The mean age was 26.4± 4.7 years old. In this study, 119 (44.9%) samples were nulliparous, 20 (7.5%) were employed and 196 (74%) were urban citizens. There was no significant difference between the pain of labor score in terms of self-esteem levels (p=0.84) and the level of covert anxiety (p=0.15) and overt anxiety (p=0.06). However, there was a significant differences between the suffering of labor scores in terms of selfesteem levels (p<0.001),the covert anxiety levels (p<0.001) and the overt anxiety levels (p<0.05). Conclusion: Considering pregnant women with higher self- esteem and lower anxiety score had a lower score on labor suffering in this study, it seems health care providers can help reduce pregnant women’s suffering of labor through strengthening the well-being and health of pregnant women and supporting them during pregnancy and labor. https://jbe.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jbe/article/view/239 https://jbe.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jbe/article/download/239/202