Longer childbirth through PDA

Peridural anesthesia prolongs birth by two to three hours

18/02/2014

Pain at birth is quite natural and also plays an important role in helping to promote the bond between mother and child. However, if the pain becomes unbearable for the woman or if the birth comes to a standstill, there is the possibility of epidural anesthesia (PDA), in which the pain in the desired areas of the body is temporarily transient by means of a local anesthetic „switched off“ can be. This makes the birth easier for the woman - but obviously takes much longer.

Labor pains under birth „Naturally“ and useful
Intense labor pains during childbirth are quite normal and have an important purpose, because through the release of endorphins the close bond between mother and child can be favored. The reason: Especially during the last, very painful phase of the birth are the so-called „endorphins“ distributed, which - like opiates too - have an anxiolytic and analgesic effect. When the child is finally born, the pain subsides abruptly, but the level of endorphin remains much higher, which causes the mother to feel like she is in one „intoxication“ feels and the bond between mother and child can be favored thereby.

„PDA“ turns off pain
However, if the pain becomes unbearable for the mother-to-be, or if there is a cessation of birth, it is possible to have a so-called birth-pressure during the birth „PDA“ (Epidural anesthesia). In this the doctor injects a local anesthetic in the so-called „spinal peridural space“ (Epidural space) of the spine, whereby the pain in the desired body region temporarily subdued or nearly „switched off“ can be. This makes the birth a bit easier for the woman - but as a US research team has now found, this obviously takes much longer than when the woman „perfectly normal“ Experienced pain. According to Yvonne W. Cheng, scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, said the birth of first-time mothers would be extended by two hours or even more if women had used a PDA „Obstetrics & Gynecology“.

Difference of up to 2 hours and 54 minutes
The team evaluated data from around 42,000 women who had given birth to their babies naturally and came to the conclusion that delivery from first-time mothers had gone much faster without local anesthesia: „Compared to women without epidural use, neonatal women with epidural anesthesia took 336 minutes to 95% of their babies. Without epidural application, it was 197 minutes, corresponding to a difference of 2 hours and 19 minutes. For multipregnant women, it took 255 minutes with epidural anesthesia and 81 minutes without anesthetic, until 95% of the births were completed - a difference of 2 hours and 54 minutes“, so the researchers in the abstract to their study.

Women should be aware of the side effects and risks of PDA
So far, experts had assumed that a PDA prolongs the birth by about an hour. The danger: If the narcotic is overdosed, the woman who gives birth has no feeling for labor and loses the ability to press. If this is the case, aids such as the suction cup are used. Accordingly, women should always be carefully informed about a possible PDA, because in addition to the risk of overdose, there are a number of other possible side effects such as bruising, infection or drop in blood pressure, allergic reactions or a slow heart rate (bradycardia) during PDA. (No)