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Does local anesthesia at mid‐trimester amniocentesis decrease pain experience? A randomized trial in 220 patients
Author(s) -
Van Schoubroeck D.,
Verhaeghe J.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.2000.00240.x
Subject(s) - medicine , amniocentesis , randomized controlled trial , randomization , anesthesia , visual analogue scale , local anesthesia , pregnancy , obstetrics , surgery , prenatal diagnosis , fetus , genetics , biology
Objectives To evaluate whether local anesthesia decreases patients' pain experience during mid‐trimester amniocentesis. Methods In a randomized trial, one group did not receive local anesthesia while, in another group, lignocaine 1% was injected subcutanously prior to amniocentesis. Five different scoring systems were used to evaluate patients' pain experience. Results Two hundred and twenty women entered the study: 114 received local anesthesia, while 106 did not. The mean (SD) Visual Analog Scale was 1.4 (1.5) on a 0–10 scale (range 0–7.6). Some 97% of patients described the procedure as not painful or bearable, 79% had expected the procedure to be more painful and 59% reported the amniocentesis to have a comparable discomfort as venous blood sampling; 98% of women declared they would undergo an amniocentesis again if indicated. There were no statistical differences between both randomization groups. Conclusions Mid‐trimester amniocentesis is not a painful procedure. Local anesthesia does not affect pain experience during amniocentesis. Copyright © 2000 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology