Abstract
T HE ideal medication for analgesia during labor must possess two important qualities; namely, adequate analgesic properties for the mother and minimal respiratory hazard to the baby. The role of epinephrine and epinephrine-like compounds in the production and potentiation of analgesia has been established.2-‘3 Amphet,amine (Benzedrine, in particular) is one of the compounds like epinephrine which has been found both experimentally and clinically to potentiate analgesia. Another important pharmacological property of amphetamine is the respiratory stimulating effect of the drug.14-18 The rationale for adding amphetamine to morphine in obstetrical analgesia, therefore, is the potentiating effect of amphetamine on morphine analgesia, the respiratory stimulating efYect to counteract the morphine depression of the respiration of the newborn, and also the possibility of producing euphoria in the parturient woman. Our clinical experience with the morphine-amphetamine combination was preceded by laboratory studies on dogs.‘l When amphetamine and morphine were given to pregnant bitches, delivered by section, the amphetamine markedly counteracted the depressing effect of morphine on the newborn, premature puppies. These pups showed excellent muscle tone, and were extremely responsive to external stimuli. The pups born of mothers given larger doses of amphetamine displayed a reaction resembling opisthotonos, when their feet were snapped. A comparable reaction has been noted in the human babies whose mothers were similarly overmedicated.
Published Version
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