Pain Management Series: Epidurals for Pain Relief during Labor

Are epidurals an effective form of pain relief? What are the risks and side effects?
In this video, we talk all about the use of epidurals during labor.

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Resources:
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2017). Obstetric analgesia and anesthesia. Practice Bulletin No. 177. Obstet Gynecol; 129:e73 – 89.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2019). Obstetric analgesia and anesthesia. Practice Bulletin No. 209. Obstet Gynecol; Vol. 133, No. 3:e208-e225.
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). Types of Pain Relief in Labor and Delivery. Accessed online on October 2, 2017.
Anim-Somuah, M., Smyth, R. M., and Jones, L. (2011). Epidural versus non-epidural or no analgesia in labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev(12), CD000331.
Chaillet, N., Belaid, L., Crochetière, C., et al. (2014). Nonpharmacologic approaches for pain management during labor compared with usual care: a meta-analysis. Birth, 41(2), 122-137.
D’Angelo, R., Smiley, R. M., Riley, E. T., et al. (2014). Serious complications related to obstetric anesthesia: the serious complication repository project of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology. Anesthesiology, 120(6), 1505-1512.
Hawkins, J. L., Chang, J., Palmer, S. K., Gibbs, C. P., & Callaghan, W. M. (2011). Anesthesia-related maternal mortality in the United States: 1979-2002. Obstet Gynecol, 117(1), 69-74.
NHS Choices. (2017). Epidural risks and side effects. Accessed online on October 2, 2017.
NHS Choices. (2017). Pain relief in labor. Accessed online on October 2, 2017.
Nucleus Medical Media (2009). Video: Epidural & Spinal Anesthesia. Accessed online on October 2, 2017.
Shipley, C. (2013). Video: Epidural Spinal Anesthesia. Accessed online on October 2, 2017.
Shnider, S. M., Abboud, T. K., Artal, R., et al. (1983). Maternal catecholamines decrease during labor after lumbar epidural anesthesia. AJOG, 147(1):13-15.
Simmons, S.W., Taghizadeh, N., Dennis, A.T., et al. (2012). Combined spinal-epidural versus epidural analgesia in labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 10. Art. No.: CD003401.

[rachelcanterbury]

LOVE this video. As a doula, I get a lot of questions surrounding epidurals. Will be sending this to all my clients from now on. Thank you so much.

[DanceePinkston]

Saving this to my Pregnancy and Birth Playlist. It as ALL the info needed to educate!

[maddiejoy]

Another tiny side effect I had was itching and skin discomfort from the adhesive used to keep the epidural in place. I had a giant piece of tape all the way up my back and the place where the tape was itched for days after birth.

[RUBBERNMETAL]

Thanks for the video my wife will be giving birth to our first child in a month and I really want her not to suffer and take the epidural. However I really want to make sure that she won’t have to endure any long term effects.

[malikathueler]

Does having an epidural increase your risk of tearing?

[racheldeal]

Question: If there is no overall increased risk of cesarean delivery, how is there a 43% increased risk for cesarean delivery for fetal distress?

[teresatate]

Pure nervousness and fear from watching this video. WTH did I sign up for😩