Maternal opinion about analgesia in labour and delivery. A comparison of epidural blockade and intramuscular pethidine

Abstract

In a prospective randomized study we evaluated the opinion of 97 parturients on either epidural analgesia or parenteral pethidine with respect to analgesic efficacy, general feelings and symptoms during labour and delivery. The analgesic effect of the epidural block was significantly superior to pethidine with regard to the pain score (visual analogue scale (VAS)0 during the first stage of labour (mean VAS 11 contrasting 65). Moreover, 30 (59%) women in the epidural group compared to 9 (20%) in the pethidine group had a painless labour and delivery. Significantly more parturients (37 (73%)) in the epidural group would request an epidural blockade rather than pethidine treatment (14 (30%)) in a subsequent labour. Fewer side effects were registered in the epidural group compared to the pethidine group, however only significantly concerning sleepiness. It is concluded that in this study low-dose epidural analgesia during the first stage of labour was superior to parenteral pethidine regarding pain relief and side effects.