Unintended effects of epidural analgesia during labor: A systematic review

Epidural analgesia and neonatal short-term outcomes during routine childbirth: a 10-year retrospective analysis from the national birth registry of Austria

BACKGROUND

Epidural analgesia (EA) is well-accepted for pain relief during labor. Still, the impact on neonatal short-term outcome is under continuous debate. This study assessed the outcome of neonates in deliveries with and without EA in a nationwide cohort.

METHODS

We analyzed the National Birth Registry of Austria between 2008 and 2017 of primiparous women with vaginal birth of singleton pregnancies. Neonatal short-term morbidity was assessed by arterial cord pH and base excess (BE). Secondary outcomes were admission to a neonatological intensive care unit, APGAR scores, and perinatal mortality. Propensity score-adjusted regression models were used to investigate the association of EA with short-term neonatal outcome.

RESULTS

Of 247,536 included deliveries, 52 153 received EA (21%). Differences in pH (7.24 vs. 7.25; 97.5% CI -0.0066 to -0.0047) and BE (-5.89±3.2 vs. -6.15±3.2 mmol/L; 97.5% CI 0.32 to 0.40) with EA could be shown. APGAR score at five minutes <7 was more frequent with EA (OR 1.45; 95% CI: 1.29 to 1.63). Admission to a neonatological intensive care unit occurred more often with EA (4.7% vs. 3.4%) with an OR for EA of 1.2 (95% CI: 1.14 to 1.26). EA was not associated with perinatal mortality (OR 1.33; 95% CI: 0.79 to 2.25).

CONCLUSIONS

EA showed no clinically relevant association with neonatal short-term outcome. Higher rates of NICU admission and APGAR score after five minutes <7 were observed with EA. The overall use of EA in Austria is low, and an investigation of causes may be indicated.

Accurate evaluation of the progress of delivery with transperineal ultrasound may improve vaginal delivery: a single-center retrospective study

Although digital examination of the cervix is the standard method used worldwide for evaluating the progress of delivery, it is subjective. Transperineal ultrasound (TPU) is combined with digital evaluation for accurate assessment of fetal descent and rotation of the advanced part of the fetus. This retrospective study aimed to clarify the impact of introducing TPU on perinatal outcomes at Mie University Hospital. We analyzed singleton pregnant women who underwent delivery management at our hospital between April 2020 and March 2021. Perinatal outcomes were compared between patients who used TPU (TPU+ group) and those who did not (TPU- group). The angle of progression and head direction were measured. The rate of vaginal delivery was significantly increased (90.9% vs. 71.6%; P = 0.0017), and the second stage of labor was significantly prolonged in the TPU+ group (148.1 vs. 75.8 min; P < 0.0001). A significant difference was observed in termination in the latent phase between the TPU+ group [3/8 (37.5%) cases] and TPU- group [20/25 (80.0%) cases] (P = 0.036). The rate of vaginal delivery can be increased through accurate evaluation of the progress of delivery with TPU.

Peanut Ball Utilization Protocols in Women During Labour and Delivery: An Integrative Review

OBJECTIVE

This review aimed to assess the evidence available in the literature about the protocols for using peanut ball (PB) in women during labour and delivery.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic search was carried out by 2 independent researchers in the PubMed/MedLine, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane and Scopus databases, and the reference lists were scanned for additional articles.

STUDY SELECTION

Search terms employed were selected from MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and DeCS (Descriptors in Health Sciences) and combined in each database: "Pregnant Women" AND "Peanut Ball", "Peanut Ball" AND "Labor, Obstetric", as well as "Peanut Ball" AND "Parturition". There were no limits regarding the publication period or language. Studies that answered the following question were included: What are the protocols for the use of the PB in women during labour and childbirth described in the literature? Secondary studies were excluded. Disagreements were resolved by a third researcher.

DATA EXTRACTION

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement guided this review. The authors prepared a standardized data extraction sheet to extract data and used the Mendeley software to organize the analyzed studies.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Ten studies made up the final sample of this review. Eight articles presented the protocol for using the PB: 2 studies included it after epidural analgesia and removed it at complete cervical dilation and effacement; 4 addressed the frequency of position changes during labour; and 3 reported data on maternal positions that were adopted. Five studies showed lower rates of cesarean delivery, and 2 reported that PB reduces the length of labour. Only 1 article associated the use of PB with the reduction of instrumental deliveries and perineal lacerations. One study showed a positive evaluation of parturients regarding the use of PB.

CONCLUSION

PB was associated with a reduction in cesarean and instrumental deliveries, and the length of labour. Despite its benefits, there is no standardized protocol for the use of PB, preventing it from predicting outcomes with its use.

PROSPERO ID

CRD42023392238.

Labor analgesia and its impact on the maternal and perinatal outcomes

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in parturients undergoing labor analgesia.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study in parturients who underwent labor analgesia. Parturients were categorized into three groups: Group 1 (n=83)-analgesia performed with cervical dilatation ≤4.0 cm; Group 2 (n=82)-analgesia performed with cervical dilatation between 5.0 and 8.0 cm; and Group 3 (n=83)-analgesia performed with cervical dilatation ≥9.0 cm.

RESULTS

Analgesia in parturients with cervical dilatation ≥9.0 cm showed a higher prevalence and a 3.86-fold increase (OR 3.86; 95%CI 1.50-9.87; p=0.009) in the risk of forceps delivery. Analgesia in parturients with cervical dilatation ≤4.0 cm showed a higher prevalence and a 3.31-fold increase (OR 3.31; 95%CI 1.62-6.77; p=0.0016) in the risk of cesarean section. Analgesia in parturients with cervical dilatation ≥9.0 cm was associated with a higher prevalence of fetal bradycardia (20.7%), a need for neonatal oxygen therapy (6.1%), and a need for admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (4.9%). Analgesia in parturients with cervical dilatation ≤4 cm was associated with a higher prevalence of Apgar score <7 at 1st minute (44.6%).

CONCLUSION

Performing labor analgesia in parturients with cervical dilatation ≤4.0 or ≥9.0 cm was associated with a higher prevalence of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Maternal fever in labor: etiologies, consequences, and clinical management

Intrapartum fever is common and presents diagnostic and treatment dilemmas for the clinician. True maternal sepsis is rare; only an estimated 1.4% of women with clinical chorioamnionitis at term develop severe sepsis. However, the combination of inflammation and hyperthermia adversely impacts uterine contractility and, in turn, increases the risk for cesarean delivery and postpartum hemorrhage by 2- to 3-fold. For the neonate, the rates of encephalopathy or the need for therapeutic hypothermia have been reported to be higher with a maternal fever >39°C when compared with a temperature of 38°C to 39°C (1.1 vs 4.4%; P<.01). In a large cohort study, the combination of intrapartum fever and fetal acidosis was particularly detrimental. This suggests that intrapartum fever may lower the threshold for fetal hypoxic brain injury. Because fetal hypoxia is often difficult to predict or prevent, every effort should be made to reduce the risk for intrapartum fever. The duration of exposure to epidural analgesia and the length of labor in unmedicated women remain significant risk factors for intrapartum fever. Therefore, paying careful attention to maintaining labor progress can potentially reduce the rates of intrapartum fever and the risk for cesarean delivery if fever does occur. A recent, double-blind randomized trial of nulliparas at >36 weeks' gestation demonstrated that a high-dose oxytocin regimen (6×6 mU/min) when compared with a low-dose oxytocin regimen (2×2 mU/min) led to clinically meaningful reductions in the rate of intrapartum fever (10.4% vs 15.6%; risk rate, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-0.92). When fever does occur, antibiotic treatment should be initiated promptly; acetaminophen may not be effective in reducing the maternal temperature. There is no evidence that reducing the duration of fetal exposure to intrapartum fever prevents known adverse neonatal outcomes. Therefore, intrapartum fever is not an indication for cesarean delivery to interrupt labor with the purpose of improving neonatal outcome. Finally, clinicians should be ready for the increased risk for postpartum hemorrhage and have uterotonic agents on hand at delivery to prevent delays in treatment.

Utilization of pharmacological labour analgesia: a survey of obstetric care providers in eastern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Despite a crucial role played by obstetric care providers (OCPs) in providing pain relief methods during labour, the evidence suggests that there is a large number of women in Ethiopia who did not have access to pain relief methods. Moreover, to the best of the investigators' knowledge, evidence is scarce regarding the utilization of pharmacological labour pain management methods in the study area. Thus this study was carried out to determine the practice of pharmacological labour pain management methods among OCPs in Harari regional state health facilities in Ethiopia.

METHODS

A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 20 May to 10 June 2021 in Harari regional state health facilities. All (n=464) OCPs in Harari regional state health facilities were included in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from previous studies. The data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 statistical software. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS for Windows version 22. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the association between independent variables and the outcome variable. A p-value <0.05 was used to establish statistical significance.

RESULTS

In this study, 464 OCPs participated. The overall utilization of pharmacological labour pain relief methods was 50.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 45.8 to 55.8). The main barriers to labouring mothers receiving pain relief include high patient flow (54.4%), the limited number of staff (51.9%) and a lack of knowledge and skill (32.9%). Being female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.07 [95% CI 1.31 to 3.26]), not having training (AOR 1.60 [95% CI 1.02 to 2.53]) and having an unfavourable attitude (AOR 9.1 [95% CI 5.34 to 15.35]) were the predictors of utilization of pharmacological labour pain management methods.

CONCLUSIONS

The study revealed that half of the OCPs utilized the pharmacological labour pain management method. In general, this study identified that variables like sex, training and the attitude of OCPs were factors associated with the utilization of pharmacological labour pain management methods. The health facilities should provide training to enhance the skill of OCPs and equip themselves with sufficient analgesic drugs.

Path analysis model of epidural/spinal anesthesia on breastfeeding among healthy nulliparous women: Secondary analysis of the United States Certificate of Live Births 2016

BACKGROUND

The effect of epidural/spinal anesthesia during labor on breastfeeding is unclear. Few studies had assessed whether or how medically assisted delivery (operative vaginal delivery or unscheduled cesarean birth) plays a mediating role. We aimed to examine whether the relationship between using epidural/spinal anesthesia and breastfeeding is mediated by increased medically assisted delivery among healthy nulliparous women.

METHODS

A secondary, cross-sectional analysis was conducted using US birth certificate data from 2016 (n = 381 199). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between factors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the model fit of the path models and to quantify the direct, indirect, and total effect of anesthesia on breastfeeding at discharge, considering medically assisted delivery as a mediator.

RESULTS

Women who were administered epidural/spinal anesthesia were more likely to experience medically assisted delivery (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.01 (2.91-3.12)) and less likely to be breastfeeding at discharge (0.95 [0.92-0.98]). Operative vaginal and unscheduled cesarean deliveries were significantly associated with nonbreastfeeding at discharge (0.81 [0.77-0.84] and 0.81 [0.79-0.84], respectively). SEM revealed excellent model fit for our model. The indirect effect was significant (β = -0.038; 95% CI, -0.043 to -0.033), as was the total effect (β = -0.038; 95% CI, -0.043 to -0.033).

CONCLUSIONS

Epidural/spinal anesthesia is associated with nonbreastfeeding at discharge, mediated through medically assisted delivery. Health care providers should consider these risks and provide adequate support to help all parents attain their breastfeeding goals.

Severity of intrapartum fever and neonatal outcomes

BACKGROUND

The few studies that have addressed the relationship between severity of intrapartum fever and neonatal and maternal morbidity have had mixed results. The impact of the duration between reaching maximum intrapartum temperature and delivery on neonatal outcomes remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To test the association of severity of intrapartum fever and duration from reaching maximum temperature to delivery with neonatal and maternal morbidity.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of term, singleton patients admitted for induction of labor or spontaneous labor who had intrapartum fever (≥38°C). Patients were divided into 3 groups according to maximum temperature during labor: afebrile (<38°C), mild fever (38°C-39°C), and severe fever (>39°C). The primary outcome was composite neonatal morbidity (umbilical artery pH <7.1, mechanical ventilation, respiratory distress, meconium aspiration with pulmonary hypertension, hypoglycemia, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and Apgar <7 at 5 minutes). Secondary outcomes were composite neonatal neurologic morbidity (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, hypothermia treatment, and seizures) and composite maternal morbidity (postpartum hemorrhage, endometritis, and maternal packed red blood cell transfusion). Outcomes were compared between the maximum temperature groups using multivariable logistic regression. Cox proportional-hazards regression modeling accounted for the duration between reaching maximum intrapartum temperature and delivery.

RESULTS

Of the 8132 patients included, 278 (3.4%) had a mild fever and 74 (0.9%) had a severe fever. The incidence of composite neonatal morbidity increased with intrapartum fever severity (afebrile 5.4% vs mild 18.0% vs severe 29.7%; P<.01). After adjusting for confounders, there were increased odds of composite neonatal morbidity with severe fever compared with mild fever (adjusted odds ratio, 1.93 [95% confidence interval, 1.07-3.48]). Severe fevers remained associated with composite neonatal morbidity compared with mild fevers after accounting for the duration between reaching maximum intrapartum temperature and delivery (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.05 [95% confidence interval, 1.23-3.43]). Composite neonatal neurologic morbidity and composite maternal morbidity were not different between patients with mild and patients with severe fevers.

CONCLUSION

Composite neonatal morbidity correlated with intrapartum fever severity in a potentially dose-dependent fashion. This correlation was independent of the duration from reaching maximum intrapartum temperature to delivery, suggesting that clinical management of intrapartum fever, in terms of timing or mode of delivery, should not be affected by this duration.

Use of the peanut ball during labour: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

This study aimed to determine effectiveness of peanut ball on the duration of the stages of labour and frequency of caesarean section.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHOD

A comprehensive electronic search was carried out with no time limit until December 2020. Collected data were analysed using software RevMan- version 5.3. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 , T2 , and 2 . GRADE approach was used to assess the certainty of evidence.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis on six clinical trials with 645 participants showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups in caesarean surgery rate (RR = 0.82) and length of the first (MD = -15.64).

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, further clinical trials with stronger evidence should be carried out to assess the effectiveness of peanut ball on caesarean surgery rate and length of first and second stages of labour.

Acupressure for labor pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy/effectiveness of acupressure as an adjunct to standard procedures during labor and delivery, compared with standard procedures with/without sham acupressure, in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODS

Ten main databases were searched from their inception until 31 January 2018. Two reviewers independently extracted data concerning the effects of acupressure on pain intensity, labor duration, mode of delivery, use of medications and adverse events. A meta-analysis of these measures was performed using RevMan 5.3. Pooled standardized mean differences (SMDs) or odds ratios (ORs) for the above outcomes were estimated with a fixed or random effects model, according to the heterogeneity.

RESULTS

A total of 13 RCTs including 1586 enrolled patients met the eligibility criteria. Acupressure plus standard procedures (ASP) for labor management significantly reduced pain sensation, compared with sham acupressure plus standard procedures (SASP) and standard procedures (SP) alone. The analgesic effect of acupressure was immediate and persisted for at least 60 min (all p < 0.01). Compared with the untreated control groups, the acupressure group had a shorter duration of labor, especially the first stage of labor (SMD = -0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.10 to -0.43; p < 0.001; I² = 74%) and second stage of labor (SMD = -0.37, 95% CI = -0.59 to -0.18; p < 0.001; I² = 0%). Data suggesting that acupressure reduced the Cesarean section rate was inconclusive. The use of pharmacologic agents (oxytocin and analgesics) did not differ between the ASP, SASP and SP groups. No adverse events were reported in this limited number of studies.

CONCLUSION

Moderate evidence indicates that acupressure may have promising effects on labor pain and duration. However, high-quality trials to verify these findings are warranted.

Is short-term-variation of fetal-heart-rate a better predictor of fetal acidaemia in labour? A feasibility study

Background

Continuous intrapartum fetal monitoring is challenging and its clinical benefits are debated. The project evaluated whether short-term-variation (STV) and other computerised fetal heart rate (FHR) parameters (baseline FHR, long-term-variation, accelerations and decelerations) predicted acidaemia at birth. The aims of the study were to assess the changes in FHR pattern during labour and determine the feasibility of undertaking a definitive trial by reporting the practicalities of using the monitoring device, participant recruitment, data collection and staff training.

Methods

200 high-risk women carrying a term singleton, non-anomalous fetus, requiring continuous FHR monitoring in labour were consented to participate from the Jessop Wing maternity unit, Sheffield, UK. The trans-abdominal fetal ECG monitor was placed as per clinical protocol. During the monitoring session, clinicians were blinded to the computerised FHR parameters. We analysed the last hour of the FHR and its ability to predict umbilical arterial blood pH <7.20 using receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves.

Results

Of 200 women, 137 cases were excluded as either the monitor did not work from the onset of labour (n = 30), clinical staff did not return or used the monitor on another patient (n = 37), umbilical cord blood not obtained (n = 25), FHR data not recorded within an hour of birth (n = 34) and other reasons (n = 11). In 63 cases included in the final analysis, the computer-derived FHR parameters did not show significant correlation with umbilical artery cord pH <7.20. Labour was associated with a significant increase in short and long term variation of FHR and number of deceleration (P<0.001). However, baseline FHR decreased significantly before delivery (P<0.001).

Conclusions

The project encountered a number of challenges, with learning points crucial to informing the design of a large study to evaluate the potential place of intrapartum computerised FHR parameters, using abdominal fetal ECG monitor before its clinical utility and more widespread adoption can be ascertained.

Epidural analgesia during birth and adverse neonatal outcomes: A population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

In general, epidural analgesia is considered a safe and efficient way to relieve pain during active labour and is increasingly used in childbirth. It is well documented that epidural analgesia during birth has benefits but also adverse effects. However, evidence is limited on how epidural analgesia influences neonatal outcome in a low-risk population of birthing women.

AIM

To examine low Apgar score, foetal hypoxia and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit in neonates of low-risk women receiving epidural analgesia during birth.

METHODS

A cohort study using registry data to investigate a population of 23,272 low-risk women giving birth at a university hospital.

RESULTS

Epidural analgesia was used in 21.6% of low-risk women during birth. Low Apgar score, foetal hypoxia, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit were found in 0.6%, 0.6%, and 10.0%, respectively in neonates of mothers receiving epidural analgesia during birth compared to 0.3%, 0.6%, and 5.6%, respectively in the non-exposed group. Epidural analgesia was associated with low Apgar score, adjusted odds ratio 1.76 (95% CI 1.07-2.90) and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, adjusted odds ratio 1.43 (95% CI 1.26-1.62). A mediation analysis indicates the impact of epidural analgesia on adverse neonatal outcomes was mediated by obstetric complications like maternal fever, labour augmentation, and foetal malpresentation.

CONCLUSION

This study found use of epidural analgesia during birth in low-risk pregnant women was associated with infant low Apgar score and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Duration of labor, delivery mode and maternal and neonatal morbidity after remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia compared with epidural analgesia

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to compare duration of active labor, delivery mode, maternal and neonatal morbidity and women's satisfaction with delivery after intravenous remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) or standard epidural analgesia (EDA). Based on clinical observations, we hypothesized that women with PCA would have shorter labor.

STUDY DESIGN

An observational study at a university hospital in Sweden 2009-16. Maternal and neonatal outcomes with PCA (n = 69) and EDA (n = 138) were compared.

RESULTS

Women with PCA had shorter active labor 5.6 ± 3.3 compared to 8.5 ± 4.4 h (p < 0.001) with EDA, and a higher rate of spontaneous delivery 94% (65/69) compared to 65% (n = 90/138) with EDA (p < 0.001). Intrapartum temperature >38 °C (p = 0.001) and signs of fetal asphyxia (p < 0.001) were less common with PCA. No maternal or neonatal sedation was observed. The rates of transient oxygen desaturation <95%, bleeding > 1000 mL and women's satisfaction with delivery did not differ between the groups.

CONCLUSION

PCA had several advantages over EDA, as it was associated with shorter active labor and a higher rate of spontaneous delivery without worsening maternal or neonatal morbidity or women's satisfaction with delivery. Therefore, we suggest an increased availability of PCA for labor analgesia. We recommend continuous one-to-one care and oxygen saturation monitoring for all women during active labor.

The influence of preoperative epidural labor analgesia on postoperative pain in parturients undergoing emergency cesarean section : A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Intense noxious input from the periphery may result in central sensitization and hyperexcitability, thus accentuating subsequent postoperative pain. Parturients who undergo emergency cesarean section (C-sec) after experiencing labor pain often develop labor pain-induced sensitization.

OBJECTIVE

This retrospective study evaluated whether parturients without epidural labor analgesia (ELA) who underwent emergency C‑sec, experienced more severe postoperative pain and required more rescue analgesics during the postoperative period.

METHODS

The institution's medical database was searched for parturients who underwent emergency C‑sec under spinal anesthesia for any reason between January 2013 and December 2016. Those who underwent elective C‑sec under spinal anesthesia were included as the reference arm. Parturients were divided into three groups: ELA, no-ELA and elective. Characteristics of patients and perioperative outcomes were evaluated. As primary outcomes, numerical rating scale (NRS) for postoperative pain (0-10) was recorded up to 96 h postoperatively, and use of rescue analgesics was evaluated at 6, 24, and 48 h postoperatively.

RESULTS

In the ELA, no-ELA, and elective groups, 61, 73, and 88 parturients, respectively, were ultimately enrolled. The NRS for pain were similar among the three groups, except at 6 h postoperatively. Parturients in the no-ELA group demonstrated significantly higher NRS at 6 h postoperatively than those in the ELA group (P = 0.01).More patients in the no-ELA group required rescue analgesics than in the ELA (P = 0.001) and elective groups (P < 0.001) at 6-24 h postoperatively. Moreover, the proportion of patients requiring rescue analgesics ≥2 times was also significantly higher in the no-ELA group (vs. the ELA group, P = 0.004; vs. the elective group, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Parturients undergoing emergency C‑sec without ELA management during labor experienced greater postoperative pain and a greater use of rescue analgesics during the postoperative period. The findings suggest that administration of ELA before emergency C‑sec may act as pre-emptive analgesia against postoperative pain.

Safety and effectiveness of acellular pertussis vaccination during pregnancy: a systematic review

Background

Infants < 3 months of age are at highest risk for developing severe complications after pertussis. The majority of pregnant women has low concentrations of pertussis-specific antibodies and thus newborns are insufficiently protected by maternally transferred antibodies. Acellular pertussis vaccination during pregnancy was recently implemented in various countries. Here, we assessed the evidence for safety and effectiveness of pertussis vaccination during pregnancy.

Methods

We searched Medline, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov from January 1st 2010 to January 10th 2019. We assessed risk of bias (ROB) using the Cochrane ROB tool and ROBINS-I. We evaluated the quality of evidence using the GRADE approach.

Results

We identified 1273 articles and included 22 studies (14 for safety; 8 for effectiveness), comprising 1.4 million pregnant women in safety studies and 855,546 mother-infant-pairs in effectiveness studies. No significant differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated women and their infants were observed for safety outcomes with the exception of fever and chorioamnionitis. Compared to no vaccination, three studies showed a significantly increased relative risk for the presence of the ICD-9 code for chorioamnionitis in electronic patient data after pertussis vaccination. However, no study reported an increased risk for clinical sequelae of chorioamnionitis after vaccination during pregnancy, such as preterm birth or neonatal intensive care unit admission. Vaccine effectiveness against pertussis in infants of immunized mothers ranged from 69 to 91% for pertussis prevention, from 91 to 94% for prevention of hospitalization and was 95% for prevention of death due to pertussis. Risk of bias was serious to critical for safety outcomes and moderate to serious for effectiveness outcomes. GRADE evidence quality was moderate to very low, depending on outcome.

Conclusion

Although an increased risk for a diagnosis of fever and chorioamnionitis was detected in pregnant women after pertussis vaccination, there was no association with a higher frequency of clinically relevant sequelae. Vaccine effectiveness for prevention of infant pertussis, hospitalization and death is high. Pertussis vaccination during pregnancy has an overall positive benefit-risk ratio. In view of the overall quality of available evidence ongoing surveillance of chorioamnionitis and its potential sequelae is recommended when pertussis vaccination in pregnancy is implemented.

Trial registration

PROSPERO CRD42018087814, CRD42018090357.

Timing of cesarean and its impact on labor duration and genital tract trauma at the first subsequent vaginal birth: a retrospective cohort study

Background

The objectives of this study were to explore the course of labor and the risk of obstetric anal sphincter injury at the first vaginal birth after cesarean section (fVBAC) in comparison to primiparous vaginal birth (PVB) in women without epidural analgesia and to assess if laboring before the previous cesarean affected these outcomes.

Methods

All fVBACs without epidural analgesia and the subsequent PVBs (controls) between 2012 and 2016 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Data were collected from health records and included maternal demographics, gestational age, and labor details (duration of 1st and 2nd stages, labor induction or augmentation, birthweight, operative vaginal birth, estimated blood loss, extent of childbirth trauma) in both groups as well as cervical dilation at the time of previous cesarean in the fVBAC group. Wilcoxon and Chi-square tests were used for data analyses.

Results

The study comprised 510 women; 255 fVBACs and 255 controls. The majority of fVBACs were after a pre-labor cesarean section – 177 (69.4%). There was a statistically significant difference in the recorded duration of first stage between the fVBACs and controls (289 vs. 347 min respectively, p < .001). Women were less likely to have an intact perineum in the fVBAC group (29.8 vs. 43.1%, p < 0.01), however, there was no statistically significant difference in anal sphincter injury rates between both groups (2.3 vs. 1.9%, p = 0.76). The groups differed in rates of cervical tears requiring suturing (21.2 vs. 12.9%, p = 0.01). On further subgroup analysis, the duration of first stage of labor was shorter in women who previously had a caesarean section late in labor (≥ 8 cm cervical dilatation) compared to a pre-labor cesarean section, however, there were no differences in other outcomes.

Conclusion

Compared to primiparous women having a vaginal birth, women having their first vaginal birth after a cesarean section have a shorter 1st stage of labor (particularly if the cesarean was performed in advanced labor), a higher risk of sustaining cervical lacerations and perineal trauma. However, there was no difference in the risk of sustaining obstetric anal sphincter injuries between the study groups.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-019-2359-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Using a peanut ball during labour versus not using a peanut ball during labour for women using an epidural: study protocol for a randomised controlled pilot study

Background

The peanut ball has only been recently used as a support for women labouring with epidurals. The peanut ball is shaped like a peanut and fits snugly between the woman’s legs so that both legs are maintained as opening the pelvic outlet to increase the progress of labour and facilitate descent of the fetal head. Using position changes during labour to enhance widening of the pelvic outlet can be beneficial but a woman who has an epidural is limited in the number of positions she can adopt. No randomised controlled trial has been implemented in Australia to establish the effectiveness of a peanut ball specifically for women using epidurals during labour, and this project addresses this gap. The main aim of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility and practicality of conducting and replicating this trial to a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Methods

A minimum number of 50 women (25 in each trial arm), who are using an epidural in labour at two hospitals in NSW over a 1-year period, will be recruited and randomly allocated into a group that uses the peanut ball or into a group that does not use the peanut ball. Primary study objectives include assessing the proportion of women willing to be randomised, retention/attrition rates, and with associated reasons. Data will be collected on key clinical outcomes (natural birth rate, length of stay) with means and variances estimated between trial arms. This will inform the appropriate powering of a future definitive RCT. Secondary study objectives will include investigating the completion and acceptability of health and satisfaction surveys and assess the feasibility of conducting an economic evaluation alongside a future trial.

Discussion

This is a two-armed randomised controlled pilot trial. Outcomes from this pilot will inform a larger trial at a tertiary hospital.

Trial registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12618000662268

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40814-018-0346-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Epidural versus non-epidural or no analgesia for pain management in labour

BACKGROUND

Epidural analgesia is a central nerve block technique achieved by injection of a local anaesthetic close to the nerves that transmit pain, and is widely used as a form of pain relief in labour. However, there are concerns about unintended adverse effects on the mother and infant. This is an update of an existing Cochrane Review (Epidural versus non-epidural or no analgesia in labour), last published in 2011.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness and safety of all types of epidural analgesia, including combined-spinal-epidural (CSE) on the mother and the baby, when compared with non-epidural or no pain relief during labour.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Trials Register (ClinicalTrials.gov), the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (30 April 2017), and reference lists of retrieved studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials comparing all types of epidural with any form of pain relief not involving regional blockade, or no pain relief in labour. We have not included cluster-randomised or quasi-randomised trials in this update.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risks of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We assessed selected outcomes using the GRADE approach.

MAIN RESULTS

Fifty-two trials met the inclusion criteria and we have included data from 40 trials, involving over 11,000 women. Four trials included more than two arms. Thirty-four trials compared epidural with opioids, seven compared epidural with no analgesia, one trial compared epidural with acu-stimulation, one trial compared epidural with inhaled analgesia, and one trial compared epidural with continuous midwifery support and other analgesia. Risks of bias varied throughout the included studies; six out of 40 studies were at high or unclear risk of bias for every bias domain, while most studies were at high or unclear risk of detection bias. Quality of the evidence assessed using GRADE ranged from moderate to low quality.Pain intensity as measured using pain scores was lower in women with epidural analgesia when compared to women who received opioids (standardised mean difference -2.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) -4.56 to -0.73; 1133 women; studies = 5; I2 = 98%; low-quality evidence) and a higher proportion were satisfied with their pain relief, reporting it to be "excellent or very good" (average risk ratio (RR) 1.47, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.08; 1911 women; studies = 7; I2 = 97%; low-quality evidence). There was substantial statistical heterogeneity in both these outcomes. There was a substantial decrease in the need for additional pain relief in women receiving epidural analgesia compared with opioid analgesia (average RR 0.10, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.25; 5099 women; studies = 16; I2 = 73%; Tau2 = 1.89; Chi2 = 52.07 (P < 0.00001)). More women in the epidural group experienced assisted vaginal birth (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.60; 9948 women; studies = 30; low-quality evidence). A post hoc subgroup analysis of trials conducted after 2005 showed that this effect is negated when trials before 2005 are excluded from this analysis (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.46). There was no difference between caesarean section rates (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.18; 10,350 women; studies = 33; moderate-quality evidence), and maternal long-term backache (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.12; 814 women; studies = 2; moderate-quality evidence). There were also no clear differences between groups for the neonatal outcomes, admission to neonatal intensive care unit (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.12; 4488 babies; studies = 8; moderate-quality evidence) and Apgar score less than seven at five minutes (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.02; 8752 babies; studies = 22; low-quality evidence). We downgraded the evidence for study design limitations, inconsistency, imprecision in effect estimates, and possible publication bias.Side effects were reported in both epidural and opioid groups. Women with epidural experienced more hypotension, motor blockade, fever, and urinary retention. They also had longer first and second stages of labour, and were more likely to have oxytocin augmentation than the women in the opioid group. Women receiving epidurals had less risk of respiratory depression requiring oxygen, and were less likely to experience nausea and vomiting than women receiving opioids. Babies born to women in the epidural group were less likely to have received naloxone. There was no clear difference between groups for postnatal depression, headache, itching, shivering, or drowsiness. Maternal morbidity and long-term neonatal outcomes were not reported.Epidural analgesia resulted in less reported pain when compared with placebo or no treatment, and with acu-stimulation. Pain intensity was not reported in the trials that compared epidural with inhaled analgesia, or continuous support. Few trials reported on serious maternal side effects.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Low-quality evidence shows that epidural analgesia may be more effective in reducing pain during labour and increasing maternal satisfaction with pain relief than non-epidural methods. Although overall there appears to be an increase in assisted vaginal birth when women have epidural analgesia, a post hoc subgroup analysis showed this effect is not seen in recent studies (after 2005), suggesting that modern approaches to epidural analgesia in labour do not affect this outcome. Epidural analgesia had no impact on the risk of caesarean section or long-term backache, and did not appear to have an immediate effect on neonatal status as determined by Apgar scores or in admissions to neonatal intensive care. Further research may be helpful to evaluate rare but potentially severe adverse effects of epidural analgesia and non-epidural analgesia on women in labour and long-term neonatal outcomes.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Use of the Peanut Ball During Labor

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of peanut ball use on duration of first stage labor and pushing time in women who were scheduled for elective induction of labor at ≥39 weeks gestation and planning an epidural.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, women having labor induction and planning a labor epidural were assigned (1:1) to one of two groups: one group used a peanut ball and one group did not. Outcome variables were time spent in first stage labor and time spent pushing. Factors included group assignment (peanut ball, no peanut ball), parity (primiparous, multiparous), and race. Age and maximum oxytocin dose served as covariates.

RESULTS

Among women having elective induction with epidural analgesia, use of a peanut ball reduced first stage labor duration for primiparous patients significantly more than multiparous patients, p = 0.018. There was no significant difference in the reduction of length of first stage labor for multiparous women, p = 0.057 with use of the peanut ball. Peanut ball use did not alter length of pushing time for either group, p > 0.05.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Use of peanut balls may reduce total labor time to a greater degree in primiparous patients than multiparous patients having elective induction at ≥39 weeks with epidural analgesia.

Sterile water injections for childbirth pain: An evidenced based guide to practice

BACKGROUND

About 30% of women in labour suffer from lower back pain. Studies of sterile water injections for management of low back pain have consistently shown this approach to be effective. The objective of this evidence-based guide is to facilitate the clinical use of sterile water injections to relieve lower back pain in labouring women.

METHODS

To identify relevant publications our search strategy was based on computerised literature searches in scientific databases. The methodological quality of each study was assessed using the modified version of the Jadad scale, 12 studies were included.

FINDINGS

Recommendations regarding the clinical use of sterile water injections for pain relief in labour are reported in terms of the location of injection administration, various injection techniques, number of injections used, amount of sterile water in each injection and adverse effects.

DISCUSSION

Both injection techniques provide good pain relief for lower back pain during labour. The subcutaneous injection technique is possibly less painful than the intracutaneous technique administered, but we are unsure if this impacts on effectiveness. The effect seems to be related to the number of injections and the amount of sterile water in each injection.

CONCLUSION

The recommendation at present, based on the current state of knowledge, is to give four injections. Notwithstanding the differences in injection technique and number of injections the method appears to provide significant levels of pain relief and can be repeated as often as required with no adverse effect (apart from the administration pain) on the woman or her foetus.

Paradox of the institution: findings from a hospital labour ward ethnography

BACKGROUND

Interest in the influence of culture on birth practices is on the rise, and with it comes a sense of urgency to implement practices that aid the normalisation and humanisation of birth. This groundswell is occurring despite a broader cultural milieu of escalating technology-use and medicalisation of birth across the globe. Against this background, rates of epidural analgesia use by women in labour are increasing, despite the risk of side effects. Socio-cultural norms and beliefs are likely to influence pain relief choices but there is currently scant research on this topic.

METHODS

This study was undertaken to gain insight into the personal, social, cultural and institutional influences on women in deciding whether or not to use epidural analgesia in labour. The study had an ethnographic approach within a theoretical framework of Critical Medical Anthropology (CMA), Foucauldian and feminist theory. Given the nature of ethnographic research, it was assumed that using the subject of epidural analgesia to gain insight into Western birth practices could illuminate broader cultural ideals and that the epidural itself may not remain the focus of the research.

RESULTS

Findings from the study showed how institutional surveillance, symbolised by the Journey Board led to an institutional momentum that in its attempt to keep women safe actually introduced new areas of risk, a situation which we named the Paradox of the institution.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings, showing a risk/safety paradox at the centre of institutionalised birth, add a qualitative dimension to the growing number of quantitative studies asserting that acute medical settings can be detrimental to normal birth practices and outcomes.

Epidural analgesia during labour, routinely or on request: a cost-effectiveness analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the cost-effectiveness of routine labour epidural analgesia (EA), from a societal perspective, as compared with labour analgesia on request.

STUDY DESIGN

Women delivering of a singleton in cephalic presentation beyond 36+0 weeks' gestation were randomly allocated to routine labour EA or analgesia on request in one university and one non-university teaching hospital in the Netherlands. Costs included all medical, non-medical and indirect costs from randomisation to 6 weeks postpartum. Effectiveness was defined as a non-operative, spontaneous vaginal delivery without EA-related maternal adverse effects. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was defined as the ratio of the difference in costs and the difference in effectiveness between both groups. Data were analysed according to intention to treat and divided into a base case analysis and a sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

Total delivery costs in the routine EA group (n=233) were higher than in the labour on request group (n=255) (difference -€ 322, 95% CI -€ 60 to € 355) due to more medication costs (including EA), a longer stay in the labour ward, and more operations including caesarean sections. Total postpartum hospital costs in the routine EA group were lower (difference -€ 344, 95% CI -€ 1338 to € 621) mainly due to less neonatal admissions (difference -€ 472, 95% CI -€ 1297 to € 331), whereas total postpartum home and others costs were comparable (difference -€ 20, 95% CI -€ 267 to € 248, and -€ 1, 95% CI -€ 67 to € 284, respectively). As a result, the overall mean costs per woman were comparable between the routine EA group and the analgesia on request group (€ 8.708 and € 8.710, respectively, mean difference -€ 2, 95% CI -€ 1.012 to € 916). Routine labour EA resulted in more deliveries with maternal adverse effects, nevertheless the ICER remained low (€ 8; bootstrap 95% CI -€ 6.120 to € 8.659). The cost-effectiveness acceptability curve indicated a low probability that routine EA is cost-effective.

CONCLUSION

Routine labour EA generates comparable costs as analgesia on request, but results in more operative deliveries and more EA-related maternal adverse effects. Based on cost-effectiveness, no preference can be given to routine labour EA as compared with analgesia on request.

Choosing Cesarean

This article uses the US debate over elective Cesarean section to re-consider some of the more contentious issues raised in feminist debates about childbirth. Three waves of feminist commentary and critique in the United States are analysed in light of the ongoing debate over whether women should be able to choose Cesarean for non-medical reasons. I argue that the alternative birth movement's essentialist and occasionally moralistic rhetoric is problematic, and the idea that some women's preference for high-tech obstetrics is the result of a passive 'socialization' into 'dominant values' is theoretically inadequate. On the other hand, the invocation of women's choice and appreciation of high-tech childbirth serves as a weak foundation for a feminist perspective on childbirth. By limiting their analysis to the rhetorical and discursive nature and functions of 'the medical' and 'the natural', poststructuralist critics of the alternative birth movement obscure the connection of these discourses to practices that have very different consequences for maternal and infant health and, most importantly, for the consumption of health care resources.

Reducing Length of Labor and Cesarean Surgery Rate Using a Peanut Ball for Women Laboring With an Epidural

One strategy for reducing the primary cesarean surgery rate and length of labor is using a peanut-shaped exercise ball for women laboring under epidural analgesia. A randomized, controlled study was conducted to determine whether use of a "peanut ball" decreased length of labor and increased the rate of vaginal birth. Women who used the peanut ball (n = 107) versus those who did not (n = 91) demonstrated shorter first stage labor by 29 min (p = .053) and second stage labor by 11 min (p < .001). The intervention was associated with a significantly lower incidence of cesarean surgery (OR = 0.41, p = .04). The peanut ball is potentially a successful nursing intervention to help progress labor and support vaginal birth for women laboring under epidural analgesia.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) reduces pain and postpones the need for pharmacological analgesia during labour: a randomised trial

QUESTIONS

In the active phase of the first stage of labour, does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) relieve pain or change its location? Does TENS delay the request for neuraxial analgesia during labour? Does TENS produce any harmful effects in the mother or the foetus? Are women in labour satisfied with the care provided?

DESIGN

Randomised trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding for some outcomes, and intention-to-treat analysis.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-six low-risk, primigravida parturients with a gestational age > 37 weeks, cervical dilation of 4cm, and without the use of any medications from hospital admission until randomisation.

INTERVENTION

The principal investigator applied TENS to the experimental group for 30minutes starting at the beginning of the active phase of labour. A second investigator assessed the outcomes in both the control and experimental groups. Both groups received routine perinatal care.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was pain severity after the intervention period, which was assessed using the 100-mm visual analogue scale. Secondary outcomes included: pain location, duration of the active phase of labour, time to pharmacological labour analgesia, mode of birth, neonatal outcomes, and the participant's satisfaction with the care provided.

RESULTS

After the intervention, a significant mean difference in change in pain of 15mm was observed favouring the experimental group (95% CI 2 to 27). The application of TENS did not alter the location or distribution of the pain. The mean time to pharmacological analgesia after the intervention was 5.0hours (95% CI 4.1 to 5.9) longer in the experimental group. The intervention did not significantly impact the other maternal and neonatal outcomes. Participants in both groups were satisfied with the care provided during labour.

CONCLUSION

TENS produces a significant decrease in pain during labour and postpones the need for pharmacological analgesia for pain relief.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01600495.

Physiological mechanisms, behavioral and psychological factors influencing the transfer of milk from mothers to their young

This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care".Producing milk to support the growth of their young is a central element of maternal care in mammals. In spite of the facts that ecological constraints influence nursing frequency, length of time until weaning and the composition of milk, there is considerable similarity in the anatomy and physiology of milk production and delivery across mammalian species. Here we provide an overview of cross species variation in nursing patterns and milk composition as well as the mechanisms underlying mammary gland development, milk production and letdown. Not all women breastfeed their infants, thus in later sections we review studies of factors that facilitate or impede the initiation and duration of breastfeeding. The results of these investigations suggest that the decisions to initiate and maintain breastfeeding are influenced by an array of personal, social and biological factors. Finally, studies comparing the development of breastfed and formula fed infants as well as those investigating associations between breastfeeding, maternal health and mother/infant interaction are reviewed. Leading health agencies including the World Health Organization and CDC advocate breastfeeding for at least the first 6months postpartum. To achieve these rates will require not only institutional support but also a focus on individual mother/infant dyads and their experience.

The Influence of Early Infant-Feeding Practices on the Intestinal Microbiome and Body Composition in Infants

Despite many years of widespread international recommendations to support exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, common hospital feeding and birthing practices do not coincide with the necessary steps to support exclusive breastfeeding. These common hospital practices can lead to the infant receiving formula in the first weeks of life despite mothers' dedication to exclusively breastfeed. Consequently, these practices play a role in the alarmingly high rate of formula-feeding worldwide. Formula-feeding has been shown to alter the infant gut microbiome in favor of proinflammatory taxa and increase gut permeability and bacterial load. Furthermore, several studies have found that formula-feeding increases the risk of obesity in later childhood. While research has demonstrated differences in the intestinal microbiome and body growth between exclusively breast versus formula-fed infants, very little is known about the effects of introducing formula to breastfed infants either briefly or long term on these outcomes. Understanding the relationships between mixed-feeding practices and infant health outcomes is complicated by the lack of clarity in the definition of mixed-feeding as well as the terminology used to describe this type of feeding in the literature. In this commentary, we highlight the need for hospitals to embrace the 10 steps of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative developed by UNICEF and the WHO for successful breastfeeding. We present a paucity of studies that have focused on the effects of introducing formula to breastfed infants on the gut microbiome, gut health, growth, and body composition. We make the case for the need to conduct well-designed studies on mixed-feeding before we can truly answer the question: how does brief or long-term use of formula influence the health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding?

Self-hypnosis for intrapartum pain management in pregnant nulliparous women: a randomised controlled trial of clinical effectiveness

Objective

(Primary) To establish the effect of antenatal group self-hypnosis for nulliparous women on intra-partum epidural use.

Design

Multi-method randomised control trial (RCT).

Setting

Three NHS Trusts.

Population

Nulliparous women not planning elective caesarean, without medication for hypertension and without psychological illness.

Methods

Randomisation at 28–32 weeks’ gestation to usual care, or to usual care plus brief self-hypnosis training (two × 90-minute groups at around 32 and 35 weeks’ gestation; daily audio self-hypnosis CD). Follow up at 2 and 6 weeks postnatal.

Main outcome measures

Primary: epidural analgesia. Secondary: associated clinical and psychological outcomes; cost analysis.

Results

Six hundred and eighty women were randomised. There was no statistically significant difference in epidural use: 27.9% (intervention), 30.3% (control), odds ratio (OR) 0.89 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64–1.24], or in 27 of 29 pre-specified secondary clinical and psychological outcomes. Women in the intervention group had lower actual than anticipated levels of fear and anxiety between baseline and 2 weeks post natal (anxiety: mean difference −0.72, 95% CI −1.16 to −0.28, P = 0.001); fear (mean difference −0.62, 95% CI −1.08 to −0.16, P = 0.009) [Correction added on 7 July 2015, after first online publication: ‘Mean difference’ replaced ‘Odds ratio (OR)’ in the preceding sentence.]. Postnatal response rates were 67% overall at 2 weeks. The additional cost in the intervention arm per woman was £4.83 (CI −£257.93 to £267.59).

Conclusions

Allocation to two-third-trimester group self-hypnosis training sessions did not significantly reduce intra-partum epidural analgesia use or a range of other clinical and psychological variables. The impact of women's anxiety and fear about childbirth needs further investigation.

Tweetable abstract

Going to 2 prenatal self-hypnosis groups didn't reduce labour epidural use but did reduce birth fear & anxiety postnatally at < £5 per woman.

Labor epidural analgesia and the incidence of instrumental assisted delivery

OBJECTIVE

To assess the influence of labor epidural analgesia on the course of labor and to determine its association with instrumental assisted delivery rate.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective case-control study was performed during 2007-2011 aiming to identify the relation between epidural analgesia (EA) and instrumental assisted delivery (IAD) rate. All patients in whom instrumental assistance for delivery was applied were allocated into either case (parturients who received EA and had IAD) or control (parturients who did not receive EA but had IAD) groups. Maternal demographic data, pregnancy and delivery characteristics as well as neonatal short-term outcome were studied.

RESULTS

A total of 7675 vaginal deliveries occurred during the study period and 187 (2.43%) patients had IAD. Vacuum extraction was applied to 67 (2.16%) parturients who received EA, and to 120 (2.61%) who did not. The median duration of the first stage of labor was 510 min in the EA group as compared to 390 min in the control group (P=0.001). The median duration of the second stage of labor among cases and controls was 60 and 40 min, respectively (P<0.0005). Cases more often had their labor induced by oxytocin 80.3% as compared to 58.3% among controls (P=0.003). There was no significant association between the use of EA and increased IAD rate (OR=0.81; 95% CI, 0.60-1.09).

CONCLUSIONS

Labor EA did not increase the incidence of IAD and the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes, but was associated with prolonged first and second stages of labor.

Documenting risk: A comparison of policy and information pamphlets for using epidural or water in labour

BACKGROUND

Approximately 30% of Australian women use epidural analgesia for pain relief in labour, and its use is increasing. While epidural analgesia is considered a safe option from an anaesthetic point of view, its use transfers a labouring woman out of the category of 'normal' labour and increases her risk of intervention. Judicious use of epidural may be beneficial in particular situations, but its current common use needs to be assessed more closely. This has not yet been explored in the Australian context.

AIM

To examine personal, social, institutional and cultural influences on women in their decision to use epidural analgesia in labour. Examining this one event in depth illuminates other birth practices, which can also be analysed according to how they fit within prevailing cultural beliefs about birth.

METHODS

Ethnography, underpinned by a critical medical anthropology methodology.

RESULTS

These findings describe the influence of risk culture on labour ward practice; specifically, the policies and practices surrounding the use of epidural analgesia are contrasted with those on the use of water. Engaging with current risk theory, we identify the role of power in conceptualisations of risk, which are commonly perpetuated by authority rather than evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

As we move towards a risk-driven society, it is vital to identify both the conception and the consequences of promulgations of risk. The construction of waterbirth as a 'risky' practice had the effect of limiting midwifery practice and women's choices, despite evidence that points to the epidural as the more 'dangerous' option.

A Randomized Control Trial of Bupivacaine and Fentanyl versus Fentanyl-only for Epidural Analgesia during the Second Stage of Labor

Background:

The purpose of this prospective, double-blinded, parallel-arm, randomized trial was to examine the effects of epidural bupivacaine on the length of the second stage of labor in nulliparous women.

Methods:

The authors assessed length of second-stage labor, degree of motor blockade, mode of delivery, and visual analog scores in 310 nulliparous women with labor epidurals randomized to receive either: (1) 0.125% bupivacaine and fentanyl 2 μg/ml or (2) fentanyl 10 μg/ml alone via epidural using double blinding.

Results:

The median duration of the second stage was 75 min (41, 128) in the bupivacaine/fentanyl group versus 73 min (42, 120) in the fentanyl-only group (P = 0.17) with a median difference of 6.0 (95% CI, −6.0 to 18.0). Furthermore, there was no difference in degree of motor blockade, incidence of operative delivery, visual analog scores, or neonatal outcomes between the two groups. No adverse events were reported.

Conclusions:

Use of epidural bupivacaine/fentanyl or a fentanyl-only infusion during the second stage of labor did not affect the duration of the second stage of labor, degree of motor blockade, mode of delivery, pain relief, and maternal or neonatal outcomes. However, in the fentanyl-only infusion group, there was a fivefold increase in opioid exposure to the fetus with unknown effects on neurobehavior, an outcome not assessed beyond the immediate postnatal period in this study.

Adjustment for compliance behavior in trials of epidural analgesia in labor using instrumental variable meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) may cause bias when compliance is poor. Noncompliance describes failure to comply with allocation in the intervention arm, and contamination describes uptake of the intervention in the control arm. Instrumental variable (IV) analysis can be applied in addition to the primary ITT analysis to estimate the causal effect adjusted for noncompliance and contamination, assuming that noncompliers would have had the same treatment benefit as compliers. We aimed to compare ITT and IV meta-analysis of the association between epidural analgesia in labor and cesarean section.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

The study was restricted to 27 trials in a Cochrane Systematic Review. The association between epidural analgesia in labor and cesarean section was calculated using ITT and IV analyses. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated using fixed-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

In 18 trials with compliance data, noncompliance was 23% and contamination was 27%. In 10 trials with outcome data stratified by compliance, the pooled RR for cesarean section following epidural analgesia was 1.37 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00, 1.89; P = 0.049] using IV compared with 1.19 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.51; P = 0.16) using ITT.

CONCLUSION

ITT meta-analysis underestimates the effect of receiving epidural analgesia in labor on cesarean section compared with IV meta-analysis.

Effects of maternal epidural analgesia on the neonate--a prospective cohort study

Background

Epidural analgesia is one of the most popular modes of analgesia for child birth. There are controversies regarding adverse effects and safety of epidural analgesia. This study was conducted to study the immediate effects of the maternal epidural analgesia on the neonate during early neonatal phase.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of 100 neonates born to mothers administered epidural analgesia were compared with 100 neonates born to mothers not administered epidural analgesia in terms of passage of urine, initiation of breast feeding, birth asphyxia and incidence of instrumentation.

Results

There was significant difference among the two groups in the passage of urine (P value 0.002) and incidence of instrumentation (P value 0.010) but there was no significant difference in regards to initiation of breast feeding and birth asphyxia.

Conclusions

Epidural analgesia does not have any effect on the newborns in regards to breast feeding and birth asphyxia but did have effects like delayed passage of urine and increased incidence of instrumentation.

The "neurovascular unit approach" to evaluate mechanisms of dysfunctional autoregulation in asphyxiated newborns in the era of hypothermia therapy

Despite improvements in obstetrical and neonatal care, and introduction of hypothermia as a neuroprotective therapy, perinatal brain injury remains a frequent cause of cerebral palsy, mental retardation and epilepsy. The recognition of dysfunction of cerebral autoregulation is essential for a real time measure of efficacy to identify those who are at highest risk for brain injury. This article will focus on the "neurovascular unit" approach to the care of asphyxiated neonates and will address 1) potential mechanisms of dysfunctional cerebral blood flow (CBF) regulation, 2) optimal monitoring methodology such as NIRS (near infrared spectroscopy), and TCD (transcutaneous Doppler), and 3) clinical implications of monitoring in the neonatal intensive care setting in asphyxiated newborns undergoing hypothermia and rewarming. Critical knowledge of the functional regulation of the neurovascular unit may lead to improved ability to predict outcomes in real time during hypothermia, as well as differentiate non-responders who might benefit from additional therapies.

Epidural analgesia in labour and risk of caesarean delivery

BACKGROUND

A Cochrane Systematic Review of randomised controlled trials of epidural analgesia compared with other or no analgesia in labour reported no overall increased risk of caesarean delivery. However, many trials were affected by substantial non-compliance, and there are concerns about the external validity of some trials for contemporary maternity populations. We aimed to explore the association between epidural analgesia in labour and caesarean delivery in clinical practice and compare with findings from randomised controlled trials.

METHODS

Population-based cohort of pregnant women (n = 210 708) without major obstetrical complications who delivered a singleton live infant in hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, 2007-10. Data were obtained from linked, validated population-based data collections. Propensity score matching was used to examine the association between epidural analgesia in labour and caesarean delivery.

RESULTS

Epidural analgesia in labour was used by a third (31.5%, n = 66 317) of the women, and 9.8% (n = 20 531) had a caesarean delivery. Epidural analgesia in labour was associated with increased risk of caesarean delivery {risk ratio [RR] 2.5, [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.5, 2.6]}. The association with epidural analgesia in labour was higher for caesarean delivery for failure to progress {RR 3.0, [95% CI 2.9, 3.0]} than for caesarean delivery for fetal distress {RR 1.9, [95% CI 1.8, 2.0]}.

CONCLUSIONS

Epidural analgesia in labour is associated with caesarean delivery in a large maternity population. Population-based studies contribute important data about obstetrical care, when research settings and participants may not represent the clinical settings or broader population in which obstetrical interventions in labour are applied.

Prevalence of low back pain experienced after delivery with and without epidural analgesia: A non-randomised prospective direct and telephonic survey

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The most frequent concern of patients receiving epidural analgesia for labour pain relief is post-partum back pain. This survey was designed to assess the prevalence of post-partum backache with and without epidural analgesia among post-partum women.

METHODS

The study was conducted at a university teaching hospital and women presenting to labour room for labour and delivery formed the target population. A total of 482 women were recruited during the study period. Response rate was 95.4% and these cases were included in our statistical analysis. Two forms were designed for data collection before and after delivery; form I was filled by one of the investigators while form II was filled by a research assistant to prevent bias which included follow-up of back pain. The primary outcome variable was backache quantified with visual analogue scale score. Out of 460 women, 230 women received epidural analgesia for labour and 230 women had not.

RESULTS

The prevalence of post-partum back pain in epidural analgesia versus non epidural analgesia groups was 40.9% versus 40% on day one and 32.2% versus 35.2% after 1 week. However, after one and 3(rd) months follow-up, backache prevalence was less in epidural analgesia group (unadjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.39-0.99) and (unadjustedd OR: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.15-0.69) respectively. The adjusted odd ratio was 0.59 at 1st month and 0.25 at 3rd month. There was no significant difference between the two groups in pain scores.

CONCLUSION

There was no association between the epidural analgesia and post-partum back pain.

Epidural analgesia in labour and neonatal respiratory distress: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Epidural analgesia is the commonest mode for providing pain relief in labour, with a combination of bupivacaine and fentanyl most often used in practice.

OBJECTIVE

To test whether late-preterm and term neonates exposed to opioids in epidural analgesia in labour are more likely to develop respiratory distress in the immediate neonatal period.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted of singleton infants born during January 2006 to December 2010. Cases were neonates ≥34 weeks gestation, who developed respiratory distress within 24 h of life requiring supplemental oxygen ≥2 h and/or positive pressure ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit. Controls were gestation and site-matched neonates who did not develop any respiratory distress within the same period. The information on exposure to epidural analgesia and on potential confounding variables was obtained from the standardised delivery record, routinely filled out on all women admitted to the labour wards.

RESULTS

In our study, 206 cases and 206 matched controls were enrolled. Exposure to epidural analgesia was present in 146 (70.9%) cases as compared with 131 (63.6%) of the controls. The association between exposure to epidural analgesia and respiratory distress in neonates was statistically significant upon adjustment for all potential confounders (adjusted OR: 1.75, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.99; p = 0.04). When data was separately analysed for term and late-preterm infants, the results were consistent across these subpopulations, showing no interaction effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Late-preterm and term infants exposed to maternal epidural analgesia in labour are more likely to develop respiratory distress in the immediate neonatal period.

[What is new about obstetrical interventions during labor and normal delivery?]

This systematic review of the literature reports studies published over the last five years (2008-2013) about interventions during labor and normal delivery. The points made concerning active management of labor, interventions aimed at improving maternal comfort, management of occiput posterior fetal presentations, management of second stage of labor and prevention techniques for perineal lesions. Although obstetrics remains an "art" to which training is mainly based on experience and clinical expertise, this "art" at present cannot live without the evidence-based medicine. Numerous randomized trials published and in process, demonstrate awareness of this reality in our specialty.

Healthy birth practice #1: let labor begin on its own

As cesarean rates have climbed to almost one-third of all births in the United States, current research and professional organizations have identified letting labor begin on its own as one of the most important strategies for reducing the primary cesarean rate. At least equally important, letting labor begin on its own supports normal physiology, prevents iatrogenic prematurity, and prevents the cascade of interventions caused by labor induction. This article is an updated evidence-based review of the "Lamaze International Care Practices That Promote Normal Birth, Care Practice #1: Let Labor Begin on Its Own," published in The Journal of Perinatal Education, 16(3), 2007.

Perineal trauma after vaginal delivery in healthy pregnant women

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE

Despite all the medical care provided during delivery labor, perineal injury is still prevalent and may lead to diverse pelvic floor disorders. The aim here was to investigate the prevalence of obstetric and anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) in healthy pregnant women after vaginal delivery.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Cross-sectional study involving 3,034 patients with singletons in a secondary hospital for low-risk cases.

METHODS

A standardized questionnaire was prepared and applied to medical files that had been completely filled out (classification of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, RCOG) in order to identify OASIS and analyze risk factors associated with mild and severe perineal lacerations.

RESULTS

The women's mean age was 25 years; more than half (54.4%) were primiparae. Almost 38% of the participants had perineal lacerations; these were severe in 0.9% of the cases. Previous vaginal delivery (odds ratio, OR: 1.64 [1.33-2.04]) and forceps delivery (OR: 2.04 [1.39-2.97]) were risk factors associated with mild perineal injuries (1st and 2nd OASIS classifications). Only remaining standing for prolonged periods during professional activity (OR: 2.85 [1.34-6.09]) was associated with severe perineal injuries.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of severe perineal injuries was concordant with data in the literature. The variable of standing position was considered to be a risk factor for severe perineal injury and should be further investigated.

[Combined epidural-spinal analgesia during labor: a quantitative systematic review of the literature (meta-analysis)]

OBJECTIVE

To perform a meta-analysis on the use of combined epidural-intrathecal analgesia during labor, including intrathecal fentanyl and/or morphine compared to usual epidural techniques.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A literature search was made looking for randomized clinical trials in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library. The size of the effect for quantitative variables was analyzed by weighted mean difference; for qualitative variables, by odds ratio. Variables analyzed were: labor duration, type of delivery (spontaneous, instrumental and caesarean section), motor blockade, pain, and satisfaction. The analysis used in most cases was a random effects model.

RESULTS

A total of 21 trials, which included 3.646 patients, were selected out of the 38 initially found. The type of delivery variable with its 3 subgroups was the only one to show uniformity (p>Q 0.1; I(2)<50%). There were no differences in the variables analyzed except pain, which was advantageous for the group with intrathecal fentanyl or morphine by 0.55 points out of 10.

CONCLUSION

Combined analgesia including intrathecal fentanyl-morphine does not offer significant advantages compared to the standard epidural.