Epidural delivery during labor can reduce the risk of serious complications by 35%, research shows
Having an epidural during labor can reduce the risk of serious complications during childbirth by 35%, according to research that suggests expanding access to the treatment can improve maternal health.
An epidural is an injection in the back to prevent a person from feeling pain in a part of their body. Making it more widely available and providing more information to those who would benefit from it was even more important than previously thought, researchers said.
The study from the University of Glasgow and the University of Bristol involved 567,216 women who went into labor in Scottish NHS hospitals between 2007 and 2019 and subsequently gave birth vaginally or by unplanned caesarean section. Of the total, 125,024 women received an epidural injection.
Researchers analyzed the rate of serious complications, including heart attacks, eclampsia and hysterectomies during childbirth. Having an epidural reduced the risk of these events by 35%, the study found. The findings have been published in the BMJ.
They were also more effective in women who had given birth prematurely or who had previous medical or obstetric conditions.
Researchers said their findings suggested that “expanding access to epidural analgesia to all women during labor, and especially to those most at risk, could improve maternal health.”
The lead author, Prof. Rachel Kearns, from the University of Glasgow, said: “This finding underlines the need to ensure access to epidurals, especially for those who are most vulnerable: women who face higher medical risks or give birth prematurely .
“By broadening access and raising awareness, we can significantly reduce the risk of serious health problems and ensure safer birth experiences.”
According to researchers, cases of serious complications during childbirth almost doubled in Britain between 2009 and 2018. They said this reflects the trend of people waiting until they are older to have babies or being obese.
Prof. Deborah Lawlor, from the University of Bristol, said: “That women and their partners have control over their treatment during pregnancy, including the use of an epidural during labor, is important.
“It is also important that women who would benefit from an epidural to prevent becoming seriously ill are given easy-to-understand information to help them make an informed decision.”
The study was funded by NHS Research Scotland, the Medical Research Council and the British Heart Foundation.
The findings suggest that epidural analgesia may be a viable protective option for at-risk pregnancies and decision makers should consider this novel benefit to improve maternal health outcomes. experts said in a linked editorial.
They point to the importance of understanding the mechanisms behind this protective effect and recognizing inequalities in its uptake, with much lower rates among ethnic minority groups and socio-economically disadvantaged communities, for example.
With this in mind, these findings “could serve as a catalyst for initiatives aimed at improving equitable access to epidural analgesia during labor, potentially mitigating SMM and improving health outcomes for mothers from diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds “, they said.