Fetomaternal outcome in parturient women with and without epidural labour analgesia

Abstract

Introduction: Labour analgesia is being preferred by the parturient women these days due to increased awareness, comfortness and low threshold to perceive pain. The effects of epidural and parenteral analgesia on duration and mode of deliveries have been studied since last few decades. Aim was to study the effects of epidural labour analgesia on the duration of labour, mode of delivery, fetal outcome and patient satisfaction and comfortness. This was a prospective, comparative and observational study. Material and Methods: One hundred parturient women with full term single live gestation with vertex presentation with spontaneous onset of labour, meeting the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups. Group C: Parturient women who opted out of labour analgesia were taken as controls. Group E: Parturient women who opted for labour analgesia were taken as cases. Statistical Analysis: Independent- Samples t test, Cross tabs and Repeated Measure ANOVA were used. SPSS for windows (version 17.0) was employed for data analysis. p Results: Demographic parameters like age, weight, height, BMI were comparable between the two groups E and group C (p>0.05) The gestational age between the groups C and E were comparable as p >0.05 No significant difference in Bishops score between Group E and Group C (p>0.05) There was no difference stastistically in terms of mode of delivery (Normal delivery, Instrumental delivery, Caesarean delivery) between the groups. Instrumental delivery was seen more in group E. No change in normal or ceasarean deliveries. Shortening of active phase was seen in group E (P nd hour). Prolonged second stage of labour was seen in group E (P=0.001) which is statistically significant. Decreased pain score in group E with p value of 0.006 which is highly significant statistically. There was improvement of APGAR at 1 minute in group E with significant p value. No significant difference between the groups for APGAR score at 5 minute. No significant