Observation on Effects of Lumbar Epidural Analgesia for Painless Labor

Objective: To study the effects of epidural analgesia during labor on the mother and newborn. To find out the effects of epidural analgesia on the course of labor. To compare the epidural analgesia deliveries with those deliveries where no pain relief method is used. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective observational study. A total of 50 primipara patients in labor were studied, and a comparative study was done with 50 deliveries as control during August 2007 to August 2009 in Choithram Hospital and Research Center, Indore. Result: The Result of this study suggests that: (1) The progress of labor was not hampered in epidural group. (2) There was no significant difference in instrumental and caesarian section rate. (3) There was no serious complication, and there was no side effect of drugs applied or the technique itself. (4) There were good pain relief and high satisfaction in epidural groups. Conclusion: The epidural analgesia does not affect the duration of labor and no bad effect on the fetus, and there was no increase in instrumental and operative procedures. Hence, this procedure is quite safe, well-accepted, and tolerated by patients.