ObjectiveTo compare postoperative patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCIA) on maternal low back pain after caesarean section. MethodsSixty cases of American Society of Anesthesiology gradeⅠ-Ⅱ single-birth full-term elective caesarean delivery primiparae chosen between July to September 2012 were divided into 3 groups randomly, 20 in each group. Group A accepted sufentanil 1 μg/mL and ropivacaine 1 mg/mL PCEA; group B had sufentanil 1.5 μg/mL PCEA; group C was given sufentanil 1.5 μg/mL and ondansetron 0.16 mg/mL PCIA. Background dose was 2 mL/h, patient-controlled analgesia dose was 2 mL, and locking time was 20 min. Visual analogue pain score was used to assess the effect of postoperative analgesia, and we recorded analgesia pump usage, adverse reactions, and at the same time investigated the onset of maternal low back pain. ResultsNo obvious postoperative pain was found, and the analgesic effect was good in all the three groups, and the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). All three groups of women had a certain proportion of low back pain, and the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). After operation, group A had 5 cases of leg numbness, group B had 1, and group C had none. Leg numbness occurred significantly more in group A than in group B and C (P<0.05). Group B had one case of nausea and vomiting, while none occurred in group A and C (P>0.05). ConclusionWith the same effect of postoperative analgesia, compared with PCIA, PCEA does not increase postoperative low back pain incidence after caesarean section.