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Neuraxial analgesia effects on labour progression: facts, fallacies, uncertainties and the future
Author(s) -
Grant EN,
Tao W,
Craig M,
McIntire D,
Leveno K
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/1471-0528.12966
Subject(s) - popularity , medicine , pain relief , labor pain , economics , psychology , anesthesia , pregnancy , social psychology , biology , genetics
Approximately 60% of women who labour in the USA receive some form of neuraxial analgesia, but concerns have been raised regarding whether it negatively impacts the labour and delivery process. In this review, we attempt to clarify what has been established as truths, falsities and uncertainties regarding the effects of this form of pain relief on labour progression, negative and/or positive. Additionally, although the term ‘epidural’ has become synonymous with neuraxial analgesia, we discuss two other techniques, combined spinal‐epidural and continuous spinal analgesia, that are gaining popularity, as well as their effects on labour progression.