Abstract
BackgroundIn this study, we aimed to determine whether epidural analgesia affects the indications for intrapartum caesarean delivery, such as foetal distress, dystocia, or maternal request, in nulliparous term women with spontaneous labour (Group 1 in the 10-Group Classification System).MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study and collected data from the electronic medical records of deliveries performed in our institution between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2017. Women conforming to the criterion of Group 1 according to the 10-Group Classification System were enrolled. We compared labour outcomes between women with and without epidural analgesia and analysed the association between epidural analgesia and indications for caesarean by using multivariate logistic regression analysis.ResultsA total of 3212 women met the inclusion criteria, and 2876 were enrolled in the final analyses. Women who received epidural analgesia had a significantly lower intrapartum caesarean delivery rate (16.0% vs. 26.7%, P < 0.001), higher rates of amniotomy (53.4% vs. 42.3%, P < 0.001) and oxytocin augmentation (79.5% vs. 67.0%, P < 0.001), and a higher incidence of intrapartum fever (≥38 °C) (23.3% vs. 8.5%, P < 0.001) than those who did not receive epidural analgesia. There were no significant differences between the groups for most indications, except a lower probability of maternal request for caesarean delivery (3.9% vs. 10.5%, P < 0.001) observed in women who received epidural analgesia than in those who did not. Epidural analgesia was revealed to be associated with a decreased risk of maternal request for caesarean delivery (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22–0.42; P < 0.001); however, oxytocin augmentation was related to an increased risk of maternal request (aOR, 2.34; 95%CI, 1.47–3.75; P < 0.001). Regarding the reasons for the maternal request for caesarean delivery, significantly fewer women complained of pain (0.5% vs. 4.6%, P < 0.001) or had no labour progress (1.3% vs. 3.6%, P < 0.001) among those who received analgesia.ConclusionsAmong the women in Group 1, epidural analgesia was associated with a lower intrapartum caesarean delivery rate, which may be explained by a reduction in the risk of maternal request for an intrapartum caesarean delivery.
Highlights
In this study, we aimed to determine whether epidural analgesia affects the indications for intrapartum caesarean delivery, such as foetal distress, dystocia, or maternal request, in nulliparous term women with spontaneous labour (Group 1 in the 10-Group Classification System)
Among the women in Group 1, epidural analgesia was associated with a lower intrapartum caesarean delivery rate, which may be explained by a reduction in the risk of maternal request for an intrapartum caesarean delivery
We speculated that women requesting for epidural analgesia (EA) after local anaesthesia might be experiencing excruciating dysfunctional labour, rendering them more likely to accept a caesarean delivery (CD) due to obstetrical factors, which may explain the differences in the study results
Summary
We aimed to determine whether epidural analgesia affects the indications for intrapartum caesarean delivery, such as foetal distress, dystocia, or maternal request, in nulliparous term women with spontaneous labour (Group 1 in the 10-Group Classification System). A recent systematic review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, comprising 40 trials and involving over 11,000 women, declared that EA has no impact on the risk of caesarean delivery (CD) [1]. The indications for intrapartum CD in women under EA have not been adequately evaluated. It is unclear whether EA is a risk factor for specific indications of CD during labour, such as foetal distress, dystocia, or maternal request for CD. It is reasonable to presume that EA administration may have a different impact on intrapartum CD in different obstetric populations
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.