Hospitalization arouses anxiety among patients admitted for day bed surgery. The effect of the anesthetist's routine preoperative interview on the anxiety levels of 63 unpremedicated women scheduled for elective outpatient therapeutic abortions was examined using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The anesthetist's preoperative interviews were performed at the following times: Group 1, in the outpatient clinic one week before surgery; group 2, in the day bed unit at the time of admission to hospital; group 3, outside the operating room immediately prior to surgery. State anxiety was measured before and after patients were seen by the anesthetists. In group 1, and in groups 1 and 2, it was readministered outside the operating room immediately before surgery. Baseline anxiety Trait and State scores were not significantly different in the 3 groups (Trait: group 1, 43.3 +/- 2.2; group 2, 36.9 +/- 2.3; group 3, 38.8 +/- 2.2. State: group 1, 50.6 +/- 3.5; group 2, 43.0 +/- 2.4; group 3, 49.0 +/- 3.0). Only in group 3 did the anesthetist's interview significantly reduce patient's anxiety (before visit 49.1 +/- 3.0; after visit 46.0 +/- 2.8; P less than 0.05). A small but statistically significant reduction in State anxiety scores is achieved when patients are seen by the anesthetist immediately prior to surgery.