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Monisha Bell
Mrs. Hensel
English IV Honors
25 March 2015
Epidural Effects
An epidural is an anesthetic used to relieve the excruciating pain of childbirth. Epidurals
are administered in the back. A needle is inserted and a small catheter is threaded into the
epidural space. The lower half of the body is numbed. Many women across the United Sates use
epidurals before going into labor. Epidurals are requested more than any other type of pain
relief. The first recorded use of an epidural was in 1885. Mothers around the world do not
realize the many effects of epidurals. An epidural can have negative effects on the mother and
labor process. It can have life threatening effects on the unborn child. Epidural anesthesia is
very helpful but it can also have an adverse effect on the labor process, mother, and baby.
One effect of an epidural during the labor process is that the sensation of pain, touch, and
movement is blocked. Dr. Sarah Buckley states, An epidural numbs the laboring womans
pelvic floor muscles, which are important in guiding her babys head into a good position for
birth (3). A conventional epidural will numb or block both the sensory and motor nerves as
they exit from the spinal cord, giving very effective pain relief for labor but making the recipient
unable to move the lower part of her body (Buckley). Starting an epidural in early labor
include unintended effects on longer labors. "Women who use an epidural are also more likely
to be administered oxytocin to accelerate their labor and there is an increased risk of severe
perineal laceration after an epidural (Buckley). Perineal lacerations are tears in the perineal
tissue between the vagina and rectum. Epidurals play a major part in the laboring process.

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Epidurals have impacts on the hormones. Epidural analgesia is one of the most striking
examples of the medicalization of normal birth, transforming a physiological event into a
medical procedure (The Hidden Risks of Epidurals, page 2). Oxytocin is a substance that
causes a womans uterus to contract in labor. Epidurals lower the mothers release of oxytocin
or stop its normal rise during labor (The Hidden Risks of Epidurals, page 2). Prostaglandin F2
is also reduced in women using an epidural. Theres an increased length of the second stage of
labor. The pushing stage is 15 minutes longer. Women who use epidurals in labor have
diminished release of labor hormones, including catecholamine, which catalyze the final
powerful contractions of labor (Buckley). Loss of the final oxytocin peak probably also
contributes to the doubled risk of an instrumental delivery.
Another unfortunate aspect of an epidural is that the mother can experience bed
confinement after labor which may interfere with mother and child bonding. The drugs used are
powerful enough to numb and paralyze the mothers lower body. The mother may experience the
inability to pass urine. She may not be able to push the urine out. You will not have the urge to
push and your muscle coordination will be a little more difficult to organize into effective
pushing (Health line). An epidural can also decrease the chance of vaginal delivery.
Disruptions can interfere with a womans ultimate enjoyment of and satisfaction with her labor
experience, and may also compromise the safety of birth for mother and baby (Buckley). The
mother may have to get a caesarian section when she doesnt really care for one.

It increases

the chance of complications. Some women might develop minor neurological problems (UNC
Med) which is a rare side effect.
There are risks to the baby from epidural use. It will affect the flow of oxygen to the
baby. Epidurals can cause changes in the fetal heart rate that indicate that the unborn baby is

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lacking blood and oxygen (Buckley). If the mothers blood pressure drops too low, it may
reduce blood flow to the placenta and reduce the amount of oxygen delivered to your baby,
which in turn may cause your babys heart rate to slow (North Star Anesthesia). An epidural
may affect the babys breathing. Another study showed that when women with an epidural had
a forceps delivery, the force used by the clinician to deliver the baby was almost twice the force
used when an epidural was not in place (Buckley). Epidural solutions contain the opioid
fentanyl (Baby Centre) which can also make the baby drowsy.
Epidurals provide benefits but they can have negative effects on the mothers and babies.
The babies can experience different features and characteristics. The mother can experience
labor difficulties and lifelong pains such as back pains. Epidural effects range from not as
serious, to life threatening. Many mothers opt for epidurals to eliminate pain during child birth
believing that the benefits outweigh the risks. Epidural use is a personal choice but should
definitely be an informed choice.

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Works Cited
Buckley, Sarah J. "Drugs in Labor." Midwifery Today 71 (2004): 13-65. Alt HealthWatch. Web.
18 Feb. 2015.
Buckley, Sarah J. "The Hidden Risks of Epidurals." Mothering 133 (2005): 50-66.MasterFILE
Premier. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.
"Department of Anesthesiology." Epidural Analgesia for Pain Relief in Labor: N.P., n.d. Web.
20 Apr. 2015.
"Epidural Pain Relief for Labor | BabyCenter." BabyCenter. N.P., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.