Are injections for painless delivery (epidural anesthesia) harmful?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Xuan Tinh - Anesthesiologist - Resuscitation - Department of General Surgery - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital. The doctor has more than 18 years of experience studying and working in the field of Anesthesia - Resuscitation.
About 70% of women will experience severe or unbearable pain during labor. With the advancement of medicine, the "painless delivery" method is increasingly being chosen by mothers for their labor.

1. What is painless delivery?

Pain during labor in each woman will be felt differently, depending on the physiological, cultural or psychological status of the mother at the time of childbirth. The pain will gradually increase during labor and reach its maximum intensity as the fetus moves into the mother's pelvis.
Epidural analgesia is the most effective pain reliever technique available today, while pregnant women are still awake during childbirth, applying pain relief during natural labor, also known as painless delivery. Most often, an epidural is done when the woman's cervix is ​​3 to 8 cm dilated, but it can also be done earlier if the woman feels a lot of pain or in some cases is sick. mother's reason. Some "painless births" are also performed when the cervix has dilated more than 8cm, as long as the baby is not too deep into the mother's pelvis.

2. Should I inject painless birthing pills?

The "painless delivery" method is often advised to pregnant women and is performed by an Anesthesiologist and resuscitator when the mother needs it. Painless delivery is not required for pregnant women.
A dose of anesthetic for painless delivery is injected through the catheter into the epidural space, the labor pain of the mother will be reduced completely after about 10 minutes, the effect of the analgesic will last for about 45 - 70 minutes , if labor is long, you may need to start over with anesthesia or inject more medicine.
Epidural anesthesia allows the mother to recognize uterine contractions and still experience normal labor, so whether to inject or not largely depends on the needs of the mother.

3. For pregnant women: Are injections of painless delivery harmful?

Possible side effects of an epidural are that you may feel a little temporary discomfort due to a drop in blood pressure, sometimes you may feel cold, itchy, numb, your legs are a little heavy or Difficulty lifting the leg. You may have some difficulty urinating and you may need a catheter. However, the doctor who will treat them can minimize these blemishes or even eliminate them altogether.
Back pain is the most worrying thing for mothers and their loved ones when they learn about painless delivery with epidural anesthesia. Scientifically, no study has shown that postpartum back pain is caused by an epidural. In fact, 50% of women who do not use painless delivery at birth still experience back pain. Back pain can be caused by the following reasons: change in shape of the spine during pregnancy, stretching ligaments in the lumbar spine, inappropriate posture on the delivery table... If the pain is caused by an epidural at the site injection, the pain will go away on its own in 48 hours.

4. For newborn babies - is painless delivery harmful?

The anesthetic used for epidural anesthesia is completely harmless to the baby. Epidural anesthesia only blocks nerve conduction (pain sensation) in the mother, not toxic to the newborn baby. The mother's blood pressure during anesthesia must be kept stable and monitored regularly, if necessary, it can be adjusted with drugs to be safe for the baby.
Currently, the painless delivery method has been implemented at Vinmec International General Hospital. Thanks to this technique, women giving birth at Vinmec can enjoy complete pain relief, quick recovery, early return of bowel movements, early exercise and walking, no chronic pain.
In addition to painless delivery, in obstetrics, Vinmec also implements neuro-anaesthesia to relieve pain in the perineum and lower abdomen, helping pregnant women experience the most comfortable birth, even if it is childbirth. often cesarean section.
With an advanced, modern painless delivery method and a team of highly qualified professional anesthesiologists, Vinmec is a high-quality medical care address that couples can completely rest assured. and trust the choice for the upcoming birth.

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