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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : September 6, 2018 7:52 AM IST
Epidural can help to experience painless delivery. © Shutterstock
Epidural may sound new word but epidural anesthesia is most common and familiar to women. Epidural is kind of anesthesia in which injection are given in spinal cord that numbs the nerves and stops feeling of pain. Basically it changes perception of pain. Nowadays epidural anesthesia is becoming common because more and more females are opting for painless delivery. Here Dr Bandita Sinha, Gynecologist and Obstetrician Fortis Hospital & Apollo Clinic explains how epidurals work and why many women are opting for the same.
Epidurals, anesthesia works on abdomen, pelvic area and legs, organs which are extremely active during labor pain. Anesthetic medicine injected into an area of the spine known as the epidural space. And it is delivered through small catheter. Catheter is made up of fine plastic tube. Tube is introduced in the spine and inside of the backbone spinal cord. Anesthesia is always given by an experienced anesthetist.
How it works
These days patients prefer painless delivery. Doctor gives choice of epidural anesthesia to have painless delivery. The aesthetic works by numbing pain nerves as they enter the spinal cord. Generally there are three types of epidural used during delivery: Traditional epidurals, walking epidurals and spinal epidural. In spinal epidural, the extent of the numbness will depend on the type of drug used, and the amount injected. It will stop their pain sensation during labor. Patient will continue having contraction and pain. But their mind will change theory of pain and they won t feel pain. Patient can move her leg and body. She will be able to push also. In nutshell, only pain sensation will be subsiding and rest of the process will be as it is.
Labor has many stages. In early labor woman may have a blood-stained mucus discharge, lower back pain, period-like pain that comes and goes, loose bowel motions, a sudden gush or a slow leak of uid from the vagina when waters break or membranes rupture. The waters should be clear or slightly pink. An urge to vomit (it is quite common to vomit during labor).In early labor, your body is preparing for birth. Eventually, towards the end of the first stage of labor, woman will start feeling a little more restless and tired and your pain will become more intense. The pain will come like waves, starting small and building to a climax and then falling away again. As you move closer to second stage, the time between each wave will be smaller. When woman comes in active labor than only epidural qualifies for treatment. Initially there is very less pain and uterus mouth is not open yet. That is latent phase. In that phase epidural cannot be given. After that obstetrician and anaesthetist will discuss and decides whether patient can get epidural or not. After epidural uterus mouth opens very fast and shortens delivery time. That is the benefit of epidural.
Significance of epidural
By reducing the discomfort of childbirth, some women have a more positive birth experience. Normally, an epidural will allow mother to stay alerted and remain an active participant in child birth. If woman deliver by cesarean, an epidural anaesthesia will allow her to stay awake and also provide effective pain relief during recovery. Walking epidurals enables a mother to stay awake even when it is a caesarian delivery. Epidurals help them who are suffering from tokophobia or have fear of childbirth. With variation in dosage and types of epidurals, a mother is allowed to move even when part of her body is numb.
When other types of coping mechanisms are no longer helping, an epidural can help mother to deal with exhaustion, irritability, and fatigue. An epidural can allow woman to rest, relax, get focused, and give strength to move forward as an active participant in child birth experience. The use of epidural anaesthesia during childbirth is continually being refined, and much of its success depends on the skill with which it is administered.
