Feto-Maternal Outcome of Labour with Epidural Analgesia

Abstract

Introduction: Epidural anesthesia along with an experienced anaesthetist, a dedicated obstetrician and a trained midwife has ability to convert the painful and extensively stressful labour labour event into a less stressful event. The purpose of this study was to compare feto-maternal outcome of labour with epidural analgesia to those without epidural analgesia.
 Methodology: The prospective, comparative and interventional study was conducted among primigravida with full term pregnancy admitted to maternity ward. Study group were given epidural analgesia which was compared with control group who did not give any labour analgesia. Maternal and foetal outcome were assessed.
 Results: Difference in mean duration of first stage and second stage of labour was statistically non-significant between two groups (p>0.05). Before the analgesia (basal) mean VAS was 8.45 and 8.32 in women who received epidural anesthesia and cases who didn’t receive epidural anesthesia respectively. The mean VAS was significantly less in women who received epidural anesthesia (p<0.001).
 Conclusion: Use of epidural analgesia during the later stage of labour, when cervical dilatation was more than 4 cm, provides better analgesic effect with minimal side effect and almost equivalent duration of labour. Epidural analgesia doesn’t unnecessarily increase operative delivery rate and had no adverse effect on APGAR score of newborns.