Fouzia Anwer, Shazia Shukar, Gulishan Haq.
Fetomaternal outcome of epidural analgesia during labor.
J Surg Pak Jan ;15(3):151-4.

Objective To asses the fetomaternal outcome of epidural analgesia in labour. Study design Descriptive case series. Place & Duration of study Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Unit-II, Dow Medical College & Civil Hospital, Karachi, from November 2008 to June 2009. Methodology Pregnant women who received epidural analgesia during labour were enrolled in the study. The inclusion criteria were primigravida patients who had gestational age of greater than 37 weeks (confirmed by ultrasound) without any risk factors, in established labour (cervical dilation >3 cm with regular uterine contraction) and with head presentation. Results Total number of patients was seventy with the mean age of 27.9±1.7 years. Mode of delivery was spontaneous vaginal in 40 patients (57.1%), forceps delivery in 10 patients (14.3%), ventouse in 15 patients (21.4%) and caesarean section in 5 patients (7.2%). At one minute majority of the babies (n 55, 78.6%) had Apgar score of more than 7, only 5 babies (7.1%) had Apgar score less than 4, and 10 babies (14.3%) had Apgar score between 4-7. At 5 minutes majority of the babies (n 64, 91.5%) had Apgar score of more than 7, only one baby (1.44%) had Apgar score less than 4, and 5 babies (7.1%) had Apgar score between 4-7. Conclusions Epidural anaesthesia provided excellent pain relief in majority of the patients. It can also be associated with increase duration of second stage of labour but not associated with fetal compromise in a properly managed patient.

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