Saturday, 12 May 2012

Epidurals When In Labor and Childbirth: Should Anyone Use Them?

By Kitty Baker


With the one-in-a-million discomfort linked with work and childbirth, a large amount of moms-to-be are considering utilising epidurals to help to lessen the pain. Should you use them? Wouldn't they bring any unwelcome complications to you and your baby? To help understand this matter a touch deeper, here are some things you might need to understand.

Epidurals 101

Like the subject of smoking and its effect on the fetus - (to read more on that click here) about two thirds of all girls in America who are about to give birth opt to receive epidurals after they go into work to numb the agony. Basically, these medicines (Lidocaine, Nesacaine) work on the nerves and block the transmission of agony signals from reaching the brain while allowing you to take part actively in the birthing process.

There are many varieties of epidurals available to be used during labor. There is the 'traditional ' epidural which numbs the lower part of your body to the point of immobility in the operation and the 'spinal block ' epidural which is injected into the lower backbone to render quick relief from pain. There is also an epidural known as 'central spinal epidural ' (CSE) and 'patient-controlled epidural analgesia ' (PCEA).

Hence are there any noticeable complications if you choose to use an epidural during work and childbirth? Info showed that about 1% of all the women who received epidurals during labor and childbirth experienced grim headaches after giving birth while one in 20,000 ladies suffered from nerve injury.

You'll similarly experience some minor discomforts which include shivering, backache, tenderness at the point of injection, difficulty urinating and ringing of the ears. In addition, while an epidural helps a mum relax to accelerate the birthing process, the opposite reaction can occur and lengthen labor time as the mummy feels less urge to bump.

As for your baby, the use of epidurals may result in sleepiness and bad temper. It may likewise interfere with your child's capability to nurse properly right after birth. There also are some reported events that using epidurals resulted in respiration depression and fetal heart rate variability which further complicates the birthing process.

While using an epidural will help you reduce the discomfort, it may take along some undesired complications for both you and your baby. Therefore should you use it? Well, it's really down to you but you might need to weigh the good points and bad points before making your call. Mull it over.




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