Advantages and Disadvantages of the Epidural

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Epidural Is epidural the best of all words – no pain but full consciousness? (Yerby, 2000). Discuss During pregnancy many women give some thought on what they will do to cope with labour pain. Some women aim to have the most natural type of birth, with the least possible pharmacological interventions. Others request a pain free labour, such as opting for an epidural anaesthesia as a type of pain relief. But do women actually know about the risks epidural anaesthesia can create for them and their baby? Or do they opt for it just because they heard other mothers say that it was the best? Epidural anaesthesia is a type of regional anaesthesia which is rapidly increasing in its popularity. Epidural works by blocking nerve conductions from the lower spinal segments, resulting in a decreased sensation in the lower half of the body, while at the same time the mother is still awake and conscious (Fraser & Cooper, 2009). The drug is administered in the lower back, into the epidural space, spec ifically in the lumbar region between lumbar 1 and 4. This is achieved by cautiously inserting a Tuohy needle through the lumbar intervertebral space. Once the epidural space is reached, a catheter is threaded through the needle, which will facilitate the administration of the drug either by bolus top ups or continuous infusion. Once epidural is injected, it will start to exhibit its effect within approximately 20 minutes (Johnson & Taylor, 2011). Indications for using epidural anaesthesia There is no absolute indication for opting for epidural anaesthesia, however clinical instances may include: Maternal request: mothers now acknowledge the fact that they can give birth with the least possible amount of pain. Today the majority of parents already have a plan in mind of what they wish and request for their birth experience. Having ongoing accessibility to internet encourages parents to search for types of pain relief, allowing them to make their own choices of what they think is bes t for them. Upon searching and from what they hear from other mothers, they are actually believing that epidural is one of the best choices of pain relief medication (Johnson & Taylor, 2011). Pain relief: prolonged labour can be very tiring and stressful for the mother. Having an epidural can help in reducing the continuous stress of contractions and can possibly help the mother to relax, making her able to conserve energy for later use during the active phase of the second stage of labour (Johnson & Taylor, 2011). Hypotension: epidural has the potential to lower down the blood pressure. This can be used as an advantage for women who suffer from high blood pressure. Thus this anaesthesia can possibly stabilise the blood pressure during labour, aiming to reduce complications (Johnson & Taylor, 2011). Preterm labour: epidural aims to decrease the sensation of powerful contractions and so can be opted for to possibly lower the desire to push during a preterm labour. Use of such anaesth esia depends on the specific condition of the mother and the baby (Johnson & Taylor, 2011). Side effects of epidural anaesthesia on the mother Opting for an epidural can deliver a good experience amongst many women. Mothers are able to rest and relax from the painful contractions while at the same time they are awake and conscious. However, opting for this anaesthesia is very likely to be the beginning of a ‘cascade of interventions’. This means that birth can be transformed into a very medicalised experience, ending up with the mother feeling that she has lost control over her own birth experience. In fact, the World Health Organization states that, â€Å"epidural analgesia is one of the most striking examples of the medicalisation of normal birth, transforming a physiological event into a medical procedure.†