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BackgroundLabor epidural analgesia (LEA) may influence gut microbiota. We explored the association between LEA and gut microbiota for both mothers and their newborns.MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, parturients aged 25-35 years with a gestational age of 37-42 weeks and planned vaginal delivery were recruited. Twenty-one parturients received LEA (the LEA group), and 24 did not (the control group). Maternal and neonatal fecal samples were collected, and the gut microbiota profiles were analyzed using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The impact of LEA on gut microbiota was assessed using the general liner models.ResultsWe showcased the gut microbiota profile from the phyla to species levels based on data on 45 mother-newborn dyads. The results of α- and β-diversity suggested significant changes in gut microbiota between the LEA and control groups. After adjusting for baseline confounders, the administration of LEA had positive correlations with R. ilealis (β = 91.87, adjusted P = 0.007) in mothers; LEA also had negative correlations with A. pittii (β = -449.36, adjusted P = 0.015), P. aeruginosa (β = -192.55, adjusted P = 0.008), or S. maltophilia (β = -142.62, adjusted P = 0.001) in mothers, and with Muribaculaceae (β = -2702.77, adjusted P = 0.003) in neonates.ConclusionLEA was associated with changes in maternal and neonatal gut microbiota, and future studies are still required to assess their impact on clinical outcomes and explore the mechanisms.

Childbirth is a stressful event for mothers, and labor epidural analgesia (LEA) may reduce mental stress. Mental stressors include labor pain, fear, and anxiety, which induce oxidative stress. In this study, we focused on oxidative stress during delivery and conducted a cross-sectional analysis of maternal and fetal oxidative stress. The participants included 15 women who received LEA (LEA group) and 15 who did not (No LEA group). Participants with a gestational age of < 37 weeks, BMI of ≥ 35 kg/m2, cerebrovascular or cardiovascular complications, multiple pregnancies, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, chronic hypertension, thyroid disease, birth weight of < 2,500 g, emergency cesarean section, or cases in which epidural anesthesia was re-administered during delivery were excluded from the study. Maternal blood was collected on admission, and immediately after delivery, and umbilical artery blood was collected from the fetus. The oxidative stress status was assessed by measuring diacron-reactive oxygen metabolite (an index of the degree of lipid peroxide oxidation), biological antioxidant potential (an index of antioxidant capacity) and calculating the ratio of BAP/d-ROMs (an index of the oxidative stress). The results showed that maternal oxidative stress immediately after delivery was lower in the LEA group than in the No LEA group. Moreover, the fetuses experienced less oxidative stress in the LEA group than in the No LEA group. Taken together, these results suggest that LEA may reduce maternal and fetal oxidative stress associated with childbirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Labor epidural analgesia (LEA) may influence gut microbiota. We explored the association between LEA and gut microbiota for both mothers and their newborns. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, parturients aged 25–35 years with a gestational age of 37–42 weeks and planned vaginal delivery were recruited. Twenty-one parturients received LEA (the LEA group), and 24 did not (the control group). Maternal and neonatal fecal samples were collected, and the gut microbiota profiles were analyzed using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The impact of LEA on gut microbiota was assessed using the general liner models. Results: We showcased the gut microbiota profile from the phyla to species levels based on data on 45 mother-newborn dyads. The results of α- and β-diversity suggested significant changes in gut microbiota between the LEA and control groups. After adjusting for baseline confounders, the administration of LEA had positive correlations with R. ilealis (β = 91.87, adjusted P = 0.007) in mothers; LEA also had negative correlations with A. pittii (β = −449.36, adjusted P = 0.015), P. aeruginosa (β = −192.55, adjusted P = 0.008), or S. maltophilia (β = −142.62, adjusted P = 0.001) in mothers, and with Muribaculaceae (β = −2702.77, adjusted P = 0.003) in neonates. Conclusion: LEA was associated with changes in maternal and neonatal gut microbiota, and future studies are still required to assess their impact on clinical outcomes and explore the mechanisms.

Sen Li,1 Xiaohong Zhang,1 Yan Liu,1 Yongli Wang,1 Xujuan Zheng2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, 100044, People’s Republic of China; 2Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xujuan Zheng, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8613392839664, Email zhengxujuan@szu.edu.cnBackground: Early recognition and prompt intervention for overt postpartum urinary retention (PUR) takes on a critical significance when a woman chooses labor epidural analgesia for pain relief. However, there have been rare fewer reports on the incidence and factors influencing overt PUR in women after vaginal delivery with labor epidural analgesia in China. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the incidence and factors correlated with overt urinary retention in postpartum women undergoing vaginal delivery with labor epidural analgesia.Methods: In total, 462 Chinese postpartum women with labor epidural analgesia and vaginal delivery were recruited in one tertiary hospital in Beijing from Dec. 2020 to Nov. 2021. Factors associated with overt PUR for these women were identified through multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results: The incidence of overt PUR was obtained as 10.2% among these women after vaginal delivery with labor epidural analgesia. As indicated by the result of univariate analysis, forceps-assisted delivery, lateral episiotomy, perineal pain, and fluid administration in the delivery room were correlated with PUR. The result of the multivariate logistic regression suggested that forceps-assisted delivery (odds ratio [OR]=2.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14– 5.32, P=0.022), lateral episiotomy (OR=4.55, 95% CI: 1.91– 10.80, P=0.001), and perineal pain (OR=4.23, 95% CI: 2.05– 8.73, P< 0.001) were factors affecting overt PUR for these women.Conclusion: Postpartum women undergoing vaginal delivery with labor epidural analgesia showed a high incidence of overt PUR, and health-care providers should pay more attention to their postpartum urination status in clinical practice. Effective and timely intervention is strongly recommended to reduce the occurrence of overt PUR for these kinds of postpartum women undergoing vaginal delivery with labor epidural analgesia, such as ones experienced forceps-assisted delivery, lateral episiotomy, and more severe perineal pain.Keywords: labor epidural analgesia, vaginal delivery, postpartum urinary retention, incidence, risk factors

Purpose Patient preferences for labor epidural analgesia (LEA) have been incompletely evaluated. This study aimed to determine the importance of various LEA outcomes to both antenatal and postpartum patients. Methods This was a cross-sectional study approved by the institutional ethics board. Questionnaires were distributed to two separate and distinct cohorts screened for eligibility: pregnant patients at an antenatal visit and postpartum patients during childbirth admission. A list of common LEA outcomes was compiled using research published in leading anesthesia journals. Participants ranked the outcomes according to perceived importance. They assigned each a number from 1 to 10 (priority ranking; 1 indicated the highest priority outcome and 10 the least). They were also asked to 'spend' $100 towards the outcomes (relative value scale), allocating more money to outcomes more important to them. Results Two hundred twenty questionnaires were completed (105 antenatal, 115 postpartum). 'Achieving desired pain relief' was the most important outcome for both cohorts. It was valued more by the postpartum cohort (Median $50 (25 - 60) vs $30 (18 - 50)). 'Overall satisfaction with the pain management,' 'experiencing a short time to achieve pain relief,' and 'experiencing a short duration of labor' received more money than avoiding various LEA-related side effects. The postpartum cohort ranked 'experiencing a short time to achieve pain relief' as more important than the antenatal cohort (Median 5 (3 - 7) vs 3 (2 - 5)). Conclusions Achieving the desired pain relief was the highest LEA outcome preference for both antenatal and postpartum patients. Avoiding side effects was less important relative to pain-related outcomes.

Background: The combination of ropivacaine and dexmedetomidine has been used as an epidural analgesic for inducing labor. However, there is limited data regarding the administration of epidural analgesia for labor maintenance, hence, this study aimed to determine the optimum concentration through dose-response curves of ropivacaine plus dexmedetomidine, which could be used along with the Programmed Intermittent Epidural Bolus (PIEB) technique. Methods: One hundred parturients were randomized into 4 groups who were administered four different doses of ropivacaine (dexmedetomidine at 0.4 μgmL-1): 0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08%, and 0.1%. The primary outcome that was determined included the proportion of patients experiencing breakthrough pain during their 1st stage of labor. Breakthrough pain was described as a visual analog scale [VAS] score of >30 mm, requiring supplemental epidural analgesia after the administration of at least one patient-controlled bolus. The effective concentration of analgesia that was used for labor maintenance in 50% (EC50) and 90% (EC90) of patients were calculated with the help of probit regression. Secondary outcomes included epidural block characteristics, side effects, neonatal outcomes, and patient satisfaction. Results: The results indicated that the proportion of patients without breakthrough pain was 45% (10/22), 55% (12/22), 67% (16/24), and 87% (20/23) for 0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08%, and 0.10% doses of the analgesic that were administered, respectively. The EC50 value was 0.051% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.011%-0.065%) while the EC90 value was recorded to be 0.117% (95% CI, 0.094%-0.212%). Side effects were similar among groups. Conclusion: A ropivacaine dose of 0.117% can be used as epidural analgesia for maintaining the 1st stage of labor when it was combined with dexmedetomidine (0.4 μgmL-1) and the PIEB technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the association between labor epidural analgesia exposure and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring, this meta-analysis reviewed relevant literature from Medline, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and EMBASE databases from inception to May 2022 to evaluate the overall adjusted risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring (primary outcome) and adjusted risks of autism spectrum disorder focusing on sibling-matched data, children who were delivered vaginally, and duration of labor epidural analgesia exposure (secondary outcomes). Pooled results of seven eligible observational studies involving 4,021,406 children revealed slightly higher risks of autism spectrum disorder in children with labor epidural analgesia exposure than those without (hazard ratio = 1.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.06–1.16, I 2 = 67%, seven studies, level of evidence: very low). Consistent findings were found in subgroup analysis focusing on sibling data (hazard ratio: 1.10, 95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.18, I 2 = 0%, five studies) and children delivered vaginally (hazard ratio: 1.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.06–1.17, I 2 = 64%, seven studies). The tendency of an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in children exposed to labor epidural analgesia <4 h was not observed in those exposed to labor epidural analgesia >8 h (two studies). Although our results demonstrated a slightly increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring with previous labor epidural analgesia exposure, the small effect size and lack of cumulative dose–response effect precluded tangible evidence supporting the association. A previous meta-analysis has demonstrated a superior analgesic efficacy of epidural analgesia (e.g. labor epidural analgesia) in comparison with non-epidural approaches. The widely accepted safety of labor epidural analgesia also endorses its current popularity in obstetric practice. However, the results of a recent large-scale longitudinal study that demonstrated a significant increase in risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring from mothers with labor epidural analgesia exposure have raised some concerns over the safety of its use. The current meta-analysis aimed at examining the strength of evidence regarding this issue based on updated clinical data. Through systematically reviewing seven eligible observational studies involving 4,021,406 children from electronic databases, our results showed a slight but statistically significant increase in risk of autism spectrum disorder in children with exposure to labor epidural analgesia compared with those without. The finding was consistent in subgroup analysis focusing on siblings and children delivered vaginally. Nevertheless, despite the tendency of an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in children exposed to labor epidural analgesia <4 h, this effect was not observed in those exposed to labor epidural analgesia >8 h (data from two studies). In conclusion, the level of evidence linking labor epidural analgesia to autism spectrum disorder development in offspring was very low based on the latest data because of the small effect size and the finding of a lack of cumulative dose–response effect in the current analysis. Further studies are warranted to provide an insight into this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious complication commonly seen in postnatal women. In this paper, an investigation was conducted to see if obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with labor epidural analgesia (LEA) was associated with a decreased risk of PPD. Methods Six hundred fifty-five nulliparous women were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. The parturients were divided into 4 groups, with Group C being the control group, Group AC received the obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course only, Group LEA received LEA only, and Group AC + LEA received both the obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course and LEA. Maternal and neonatal variables in the perinatal period were recorded. PPD at 6 weeks was assessed using the Chinese version of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), where a score ≥ 10 is the threshold for PPD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with LEA and postpartum depression. Results A total of 124 maternities had EPDS ≥10 points, the incidence of PPD was 18.9%。The incidence of PPD and EPDS scores were significantly lower in Group AC + LEA than in Group C (12.1% vs 26.8%, P

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a general depressive episode after childbirth. Studies have shown that unmatched analgesic intention increases the risk of PPD, but the use of labor epidural analgesia (LEA) during childbirth can reduce this risk. We aimed to investigate the association between maternal childbirth intention, LEA, and PPD and risk factors that may be related to PPD. A total of 590 mothers were included in this prospective cohort study. Demographic, prenatal, intrapartum and postpartum data were recorded. We investigated the association between childbirth intention, LEA and PPD and assessed the interactions between two factors. Logistic regression analysis was used to screen variables that might be associated with the occurrence of PPD. Overall, 130 of 451 women completing the study at 3 months had PPD (28.8 %). We did not find an association between unmatched childbirth intention, use of LEA and PPD (adjustOR = 0.684 CI 0.335–1.396, p = 0.296; adjustOR = 0.892, CI 0.508–1.565, p = 0.690). Chronic pain affecting daily life, prenatal EPDS, SAS, SSRS score, family accompaniment during labor, and 1-day numerical rating scale (NRS) score were significantly associated with PPD (p < 0.05). In the 3-month follow-up, we only recorded the EPDS score, not the pain score, and did not evaluate the association between postpartum chronic pain and PPD. The association between maternal childbirth intention, LEA and PPD was not significant. Chronic pain affecting daily life, prenatal EPDS, SAS, SSRS score, family accompaniment during labor, and 1-day NRS score were significantly related to the occurrence of PPD (p < 0.05). • Our study is the first to focus on the risk of postpartum depression in women who experienced violations of childbirth intention. • Our study did not find an association with the unmatched childbirth intention and the occurrence of postpartum depression. • Our study did not find an association with the use of labour epidural analgesia and the occurrence of postpartum depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious complication commonly seen in postnatal women. In this paper, an investigation was conducted to see if obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with labor epidural analgesia (LEA) was associated with a decreased risk of PPD. Methods: Six hundred fifty-five nulliparous women were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. The parturients were divided into 4 groups, with Group C being the control group, Group AC received the obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course only, Group LEA received LEA only, and Group AC + LEA received both the obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course and LEA. Maternal and neonatal variables in the perinatal period were recorded. PPD at 6 weeks was assessed using the Chinese version of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), where a score ≥ 10 is the threshold for PPD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between obstetric anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with LEA and postpartum depression. Results: A total of 124 maternities had EPDS ≥10 points, the incidence of PPD was 18.9%。The incidence of PPD and EPDS scores were significantly lower in Group AC + LEA than in Group C (12.1% vs 26.8%, P < 0.05; 6 (5, 7) vs 7 (5, 11), P < 0.05). Received an anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with LEA was associated with a decreased risk of PPD (OR 0.273, 95% CI, 0.100–0.743, P = 0.013). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified 5 other independent factors for PPD, including maternal SAS score in the delivery room, W-DEQ score in the delivery room, living in a confinement center, EPDS score at 1st week postpartum and perinatal care satisfaction. Conclusions: Received an obstetrics anesthesia clinic childbirth course combined with LEA for nulliparous women with a single term cephalic pregnancy was associated with a decreased risk of PPD at 6 weeks. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000039163. Registered on 20/10/2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The incidence of upper back pain during labor epidural analgesia (PLEA) was 1.2%. • PLEA was associated with longer epidural infusion time and higher incidence of cesarean delivery. • An implemented stepwise treatment protocol was effective in managing PLEA. Severe upper back/interscapular, neck and shoulder pain during labor epidural analgesia (PLEA) is not uncommon. The objective of this quality initiative was to evaluate the incidence, demographic associations and management of PLEA. An eight-month, single-center quality improvement initiative was performed for the detection and management of PLEA. After survey-based consensus among obstetric anaesthetist attendings and fellows, a three-step PLEA treatment protocol with interventions and numeric rating scale (NRS, 0 – 10 scale) pain assessments was introduced. Demographic data and outcomes were compared among parturients with and without PLEA. Among 2888 women who received labor epidural analgesia from October 2022 through May 2023, 36 (1.2% [95% CI 0.9% to 1.7%]) reported PLEA. Women with PLEA were younger, more likely to be nulliparous, and had a higher body mass index (BMI) than women without PLEA (p < 0.05 for all). A total of 72.2% (26/36) of women with PLEA received at least one protocol treatment. Twenty-three women received first-line therapy, with pain relief in 91.3% (21/23). The median NRS score decreased from 9 [IQR 8–10] to 3 [1–4]. Women with PLEA had a higher incidence of cesarean delivery (CD) and a longer interval between epidural placement and delivery; 52.8 vs. 17.5% (p < 0.001) and 16.5 vs. 6.9 hours (p < 0.001), respectively. The incidence of PLEA was higher than previously reported. Patients with PLEA were younger, more commonly nulliparous, had higher BMI, longer epidural infusion times and higher CD rates. A three-step treatment protocol was successful in managing PLEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore the association between epidural-related maternal fever (ERMF) and prognosis of parturients. 159 parturients who underwent vaginal delivery under labor epidural analgesia (LEA) received noninvasive continuous core body temperature monitoring. 122 of them completed the 42-day postpartum follow-up. Parturients with body temperature ≥38°C during labor were categorized as the Fever group, while the others were categorized as the No-Fever group. Compared to No-Fever group, Fever group had a greater proportion of primiparas, greater gestational age of parturients, and longer third stage of labor. The cesarean section and forceps delivery rates, and the amount of intrapartum hemorrhage in Fever group were significantly higher. There were no significant between-group differences with respect to puerperal infection, and amniotic fluid turbidity degree, neither significant between-group difference at 42-days postpartum. We found that ERMF was associated with some short-term outcomes. However, it showed no relation with long-term prognosis of the parturients at 42-days postpartum.

Background: Labor epidural analgesia (LEA) is one of the most effective and widely used approaches for pain relief during parturition. we conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the association between LEA exposure during parturition and ASD in newborns. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and Web of Science database were searched from inception to January 2, 2022 to identify related articles. Literature screening was carried out strictly according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data were extracted and imported into STATA 15.0 software for meta-analysis. Results: A total of 5 studies with 1763454 participants were included. A statistically significant correlation was observed between LEA and changed ASD (RR = 1.20, 95%CI (1.17, 1.24)), and the correlation between LEA and ASD were analyzed by univariate HR (ES = 1.34, 95%CI(1.27,1.40), P < 0.05) and Multivariate HR (ES = 1.13, 95%CI (1.05,1.21), P < 0.05). Limitation: First, few studies were included, and most patients were from the United States. Second, the included studies were observational cohort designs, which cannot avoid selection and measurement bias. Third, the results of the included studies were heterogeneous, and a more detailed subgroup analysis was not possible. Conclusion: There is a correlation between LEA during parturition and the risk of ASD in newborns. The Newborn whose mother received LEA during her birth-giving might be more likely to develop ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurological complications following labor epidural analgesia have varied outcomes. While most of the complications resolve spontaneously, a few cases may need appropriate intervention to prevent the progression of transient deficit to a permanent sequela. There have been case reports of permanent damage as well. Here we present a report of a parturient who developed flaccid paraplegia following labor epidural but recovered completely after catheter removal. Catheter-related neurological complications do occur and irritation of the anterior spinal artery causing transient paraplegia was considered as a possible etiology here.

Objectives: Epidural analgesia is commonly used for relieving labor pain in contemporary clinical practice. The rate of pregnant women who request epidural analgesia during labor has been increasing annually, leading to a debate on the effect of epidural analgesia on maternal or neonatal outcomes. Material and methods: The medical records of nulliparous women with a term singleton pregnancy from January to December 2019 at the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University were retrospectively reviewed. The women were divided into those who received epidural analgesia during delivery and those who did not receive it. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were assessed. Results: A total of 528 women met the inclusion criteria. The overall labor analgesia rate was 43.0% (227). Women with epidural analgesia had a significantly longer second stage [34.5 (22.8-65.3) vs 27.0 (18.0-41.3) min, p < 0.001] and total duration of labor [698.5 (493.5-875.0) vs 489.5 (344.0-676.3) min, p < 0.001] compared with those without epidural. There were no significant relationships between epidural analgesia and the normal vaginal delivery rate, the incidence of episiotomy, and other adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Epidural analgesia can prolong the second stage of labor, but this is no increased risk for both mother and neonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are cases where epidural analgesia is initially effective but subsequently fails and needs to be resited. We evaluated the rate of normal vaginal delivery and operative delivery among parturients who had resited epidurals compared to parturients with epidurals that were not resited. Methods: A retrospective electronic medical review of parturients with a singleton gestation attempting normal vaginal delivery under epidural analgesia between the years 2012‐2016 was conducted. Resited epidurals were defined as epidurals that were considered effective but subsequently removed and reinserted. For each resited epidural, two previous and two consecutive deliveries of parturients with normally functioning epidural catheter inserted by the same anesthesiologist were matched controls (non‐resited epidurals). Results: There were 35,984 attempted vaginal deliveries with 118 resited epidurals and 472 non‐resited epidurals. When adjusted for nulliparity, oxytocin administration, sex and weight of the baby, and maternal BMI, labor epidural catheter replacement was not associated with need for instrumental or caesarean delivery, (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.91‐2.49, P =.11). Conclusions: Need for labor epidural catheter replacement does not appear to be associated with need for operative delivery based on this single‐centre cohort analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A healthy 34-year-old full-term parturient was admitted to the labor suite where a combined spinal-epidural (CSE) was easily placed on the first attempt for labor analgesia. After an uneventful delivery, the epidural catheter was removed. Two days later, the patient experienced a fluid leak from the puncture site. The fluid was analyzed to determine whether it was an interstitial or a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We describe a novel technique to collect the leaking fluid without admixing fluid from the surrounding area. No previous reports describe a similar technique to diagnose the source of this questionable fluid leak., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Bais et al.)

Background Some evidence indicates that maternal analgesia during labor may have adverse effects on neonates due to exposure to specific drugs or the potential effects of analgesia on the course of labor. We assessed the clinical outcome of term neonates born to mothers who received epidural analgesia (E) or systemic analgesia with remifentanil (R) during labor. Methods Data was collected retrospectively over one year. We have evaluated the medical records of 247 full-term neonates; 208 were born to mothers who received E and 39 to mothers who received R. Data on Apgar scores and neonatal complications (perinatal asphyxia, respiratory distress, infection, hyperbilirubinemia, and birth injuries), and average hospital stay were collected. Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis were used where appropriate. Results The values of the mean Apgar scores between E and R at 1 and 5 minutes were similar (8.83 vs. 8.97,  p  = 0.252; 9.81 vs. 9.87,  p  = 0.762, respectively). The average length of neonatal hospitalization did not differ between groups (4.19 vs. 4;  p  = 0.557). The percentages of neonates with any complication were similar between groups (28.3% vs. 32.5%,  p  = 0.598). Neonates born by cesarean delivery (CD) had significantly worse outcomes than those born vaginally ( p  = 0.008, OR 2.8, 95% CI [1.30, 6.17]). Conclusion We did not find a statistically significant difference in mean Apgar scores and neonatal complications between neonates who received epidural vs. remifentanil analgesia. An increased rate of complications in neonates born via CD was found. Future studies should have a larger sample size and be powered to detect associations in these findings., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Sobot Novakovic et al.)

Background: We investigated the correlation between lumbar epidural analgesia onset time and pain intensity at 60 and 120 min after initiation.Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of nulliparous women receiving lumbar epidural analgesia (initial bolus 15 mL bupivacaine 0.1% with fentanyl 3.33 μg/mL), followed by patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). The measured variable was lumbar epidural analgesia onset time (time to pain numerical rating score ≤3). Secondary outcomes were pain score at 60 and 120 min and at full dilatation; and analgesic requirements through the labor.Results: One-hundred-and-five women were eligible for analysis. There was a significant correlation between lumbar epidural analgesia onset time and pain intensity at 60 min (Spearman's R2=0.286, P=0.003), but not at 120 min (R2=0.030, P=0.76). Women who requested more PCEA boluses during the first 120 min had a longer lumbar epidural analgesia onset time (R2=0.321, P=0.001) and reported higher pain scores at 60 min (R2=0.588, P <0.001) and at 120 min (R2=0.539, P <0.001). Women who reported higher pain scores at 60 min had more pain at 120 min (R2=0.47, P <0.001) and higher analgesic consumption during labor (R2=0.403, P <0.001). Women who were at a greater cervical dilatation at 60 and 120 min had higher pain scores at the same time point (R2=0.259, P=0.008 and R2=0.243, P=0.013 respectively).Conclusion: There was a correlation between the onset time of lumbar epidural analgesia during labor and the pain score 60 min later but this had disappeared by 120 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of labor epidural analgesia on maternal-fetal safety outcomes in a signal Chinese academic medical center.Methods: A single-intervention impact study was conducted at The Second Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University. The study period was divided into three phases: (1) baseline phase: from January 1 and June 30, 2009 when no analgesic method was routinely employed during labor; (2) phase-in period: the epidural analgesia was implemented 8 a.m.-5 p.m. during weekdays; and (3) the post-No Pain Labor N'Delivery phase when the labor epidural was applied 24 h a day, 7 days a week, from June 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. The maternal-fetal safety outcomes of delivery were compared between the different periods.Results: There were 15,415 deliveries with 42.3% of nulliparous parturients in the 31-month study period. As the primary outcomes, the labor epidural analgesia rate increased from 0 to 57%, the vaginal delivery rate increased, and cesarean delivery rate decreased by 3.5% after full implementation. As the secondary outcomes, the rate of episiotomy and severe perineal injury after the implementation periods were significant decreased. The rate of postpartum oxytocin administration was decreased by 17.8%. No significant difference between the baseline and implementation periods was found in the rate of postpartum hemorrhage, Apgar scores less than 7 at both 1 and 5 min, 7-day mortality, and the overall neonatal intensive care unit admission rate.Conclusion: Implementation of labor epidural analgesia increased the vaginal delivery rate and use of labor epidural analgesia is safe to parturients and fetus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurological complications following labor epidural analgesia have varied outcomes. While most of the complications resolve spontaneously, a few cases may need appropriate intervention to prevent the progression of transient deficit to a permanent sequela. There have been case reports of permanent damage as well. Here we present a report of a parturient who developed flaccid paraplegia following labor epidural but recovered completely after catheter removal. Catheter-related neurological complications do occur and irritation of the anterior spinal artery causing transient paraplegia was considered as a possible etiology here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The combination of ropivacaine and dexmedetomidine has been used as an epidural analgesic for inducing labor. However, there is limited data regarding the administration of epidural analgesia for labor maintenance, hence, this study aimed to determine the optimum concentration through dose-response curves of ropivacaine plus dexmedetomidine, which could be used along with the Programmed Intermittent Epidural Bolus (PIEB) technique. Methods: One hundred parturients were randomized into 4 groups who were administered four different doses of ropivacaine (dexmedetomidine at 0.4 μg mL -1 ): 0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08%, and 0.1%. The primary outcome that was determined included the proportion of patients experiencing breakthrough pain during their 1st stage of labor. Breakthrough pain was described as a visual analog scale [VAS] score of >30 mm, requiring supplemental epidural analgesia after the administration of at least one patient-controlled bolus. The effective concentration of analgesia that was used for labor maintenance in 50% (EC50) and 90% (EC90) of patients were calculated with the help of probit regression. Secondary outcomes included epidural block characteristics, side effects, neonatal outcomes, and patient satisfaction. Results: The results indicated that the proportion of patients without breakthrough pain was 45% (10/22), 55% (12/22), 67% (16/24), and 87% (20/23) for 0.04%, 0.06%, 0.08%, and 0.10% doses of the analgesic that were administered, respectively. The EC50 value was 0.051% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.011%-0.065%) while the EC90 value was recorded to be 0.117% (95% CI, 0.094%-0.212%). Side effects were similar among groups. Conclusion: A ropivacaine dose of 0.117% can be used as epidural analgesia for maintaining the 1st stage of labor when it was combined with dexmedetomidine (0.4 μg mL -1 ) and the PIEB technique. Clinical Trial Register: https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx, identifier ChiCTR2200059557., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Shen, Drzymalski, Zhu, Lin, Tu, Shen and Xiao.)

Background: A recent study has suggested that labor epidural analgesia may be associated with increased rates of offspring autism spectrum disorder. Subsequent replication attempts have lacked sufficient power to confidently exclude the possibility of a small effect, and the causal nature of this association remains unknown., Objective: This study aimed to investigate the extent to which exposure to labor epidural analgesia is associated with offspring autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder following adjustments for unmeasured familial confounding., Study Design: We identified 4,498,462 singletons and their parents using the Medical Birth Registers in Finland (cohorts born from 1987-2005), Norway (1999-2015), and Sweden (1987-2011) linked with population and patient registries. These cohorts were followed from birth until they either had the outcomes of interest, emigrated, died, or reached the end of the follow-up (at mean ages 13.6-16.8 years), whichever occurred first. Cox regression models were used to estimate country-specific associations between labor epidural analgesia recorded at birth and outcomes (eg, at least 1 secondary care diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or at least 1 dispensed prescription of medication used for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). The models were adjusted for sex, birth year, birth order, and unmeasured familial confounders via sibling comparisons. Pooled estimates across all the 3 countries were estimated using inverse variance weighted fixed-effects meta-analysis models., Results: A total of 4,498,462 individuals (48.7% female) were included, 1,091,846 (24.3%) of which were exposed to labor epidural analgesia. Of these, 1.2% were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 4.0% with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. On the population level, pooled estimates showed that labor epidural analgesia was associated with increased risk of offspring autism spectrum disorder (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.14, absolute risks, 1.20% vs 1.07%) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.21; absolute risks, 3.95% vs 3.32%). However, when comparing full siblings who were differentially exposed to labor epidural analgesia, the associations were fully attenuated for both conditions with narrow confidence intervals (adjusted hazard ratio [autism spectrum disorder], 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.93-1.03; adjusted hazard ratio attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.96-1.02)., Conclusion: In this large cross-national study, we found no support for the hypothesis that exposure to labor epidural analgesia causes either offspring autism spectrum disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We aimed to explore the association between epidural-related maternal fever (ERMF) and prognosis of parturients. 159 parturients who underwent vaginal delivery under labor epidural analgesia (LEA) received noninvasive continuous core body temperature monitoring. 122 of them completed the 42-day postpartum follow-up. Parturients with body temperature ≥38°C during labor were categorized as the Fever group, while the others were categorized as the No-Fever group. Compared to No-Fever group, Fever group had a greater proportion of primiparas, greater gestational age of parturients, and longer third stage of labor. The cesarean section and forceps delivery rates, and the amount of intrapartum hemorrhage in Fever group were significantly higher. There were no significant between-group differences with respect to puerperal infection, and amniotic fluid turbidity degree, neither significant between-group difference at 42-days postpartum. We found that ERMF was associated with some short-term outcomes. However, it showed no relation with long-term prognosis of the parturients at 42-days postpartum., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 Li, Liao, Wang, He, Yang, Jia and Zhao.)

The present case report describes an unreported complication of self limiting unilateral ptosis after uneventful lumbar epidural analgesia followed by anaesthesia for caesarean section.

Objective: To determine whether combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSEA) can decrease the known epidural effect of lengthening delivery.Methods: Between April and May 2010, 144 women undergoing childbirth in hospital with epidural pain relief were randomized to receive either low-dose epidural analgesia (LEA) or CSEA. The spinal component included 2.5mg of bupivacaine, 25 μg of fentanyl, and 200 μg of morphine. The epidural component of the CSEA procedure was started once pain returned. The primary outcome was total labor duration measured from the time of initiation of labor analgesia to delivery.Results: The difference in duration between LEA (n=72) and CSEA (n=72) was 5 minutes for labor (P=0.82), 2 minutes for delivery (P=0.60), and 7 minutes for total labor duration (P=0.75). The combined group used less levobupivacaine (P<0.001) and had lower sensory blockade at the dermatomal level (P=0.037). Women in the CSEA group had a higher incidence of pruritus (P=0.002) and lightheadedness (P=0.02) during labor; and a higher incidence of pruritus (P=0.002), nausea-vomiting (P=0.026), and drowsiness (P=0.003) in the postpartum period.Conclusion: As compared with LEA, CSEA did not shorten the duration of labor length; however, it did reduce levobupivacaine consumption and motor weakness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Automated mandatory boluses (AMB), when used in place of a continuous basal infusion, have been shown to reduce overall local anesthetic consumption without compromising analgesic efficacy in patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). We hypothesized that our PCEA+AMB regimen could result in a reduction of breakthrough pain requiring epidural supplementation in comparison with PCEA with a basal infusion (PCEA+BI). Methods: We recruited sixty-two healthy ASA I nulliparous parturients in early labor. The parturients were randomized to receive 0.1% ropivacaine+fentanyl 2μg/mL either via PCEA+BI (PCEA with basal continuous infusion of 5mL/h) or PCEA+AMB (PCEA with AMB of 5mL every hour instead of a basal infusion) immediately following successful induction of combined spinal–epidural (CSE) analgesia. Block characteristics, incidence of breakthrough pain requiring epidural supplementation, side effects, obstetric outcomes, Apgar scores and overall maternal satisfaction with analgesia were noted. Results: The time-weighted hourly consumption of ropivacaine (PCEA and clinician supplementation for breakthrough pain) was significantly lower in the PCEA+AMB group (mean=7.6mL, SD 3.2) compared to the PCEA+BI group (mean=9.3mL, SD 2.5; P <0.001). The mean time to first PCEA self-bolus following CSE was significantly longer in the PCEA+AMB group compared to the PCEA+BI group (268min vs. 104min; P <0.001). Parturients in Group PCEA+AMB also gave higher satisfaction scores. The incidence of breakthrough pain was similar in both groups. Conclusion: PCEA+AMB, when compared to PCEA+BI, confers greater patient satisfaction and a longer duration of effective analgesia after CSE despite reduced analgesic consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: This prospective, randomized study was performed to see if intermittent labor epidural analgesia was protective against maternal intrapartum fever, compared to continuous epidural infusion. Methods: Ninety-two healthy, term, nulliparous women in spontaneous labor were assigned to either intermittent (ILEA) or continuous labor epidural analgesia (CLEA), 46 in each group. In both groups, epidural analgesia was established with fentanyl 100 μg, and 8 mL of either 0.125% bupivacaine with fentanyl 0.0002%, or 0.1% ropivacaine with fentanyl 0.0002%. Maintenance in the CLEA group was with the same bupivacaine/fentanyl or ropivacaine/fentanyl solutions at 10-15 mL/h. In the ILEA group, additional boluses of the same solution were given as needed. Maternal tympanic temperature was measured before epidural insertion, 4-hourly during labor and 4 h post partum. Fever was defined as a temperature of ⩾38 °C. Newborn temperature was noted within 60 min of birth. Results: The incidence of fever in ILEA was significantly lower at four hours (2/42, vs. 10/44 in CLEA, P =0.036). No significant differences were detected at other time periods. Mean maternal temperatures did not differ between groups at any time. There were no differences in neonatal temperature or neonatal sepsis evaluation rate (CLEA vs. ILEA 0/46 vs. 2/43, P =0.45). Conclusions: Intermittent epidural injections appear to protect against intrapartum fever in the first 4 hours of labor analgesia, compared to continuous infusion. This may be due to intermittent partial recovery of heat loss mechanisms between injections. Neonatal sepsis evaluation rates were similar in the two groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To assess the safety of labor epidural analgesia in subjects with pre-eclampsia. Nulliparous laboring women were included in the prospective study. One hundred pre-eclamptic nullipara who were given epidural analgesia (group I) were compared with 100 nullipara with pre-eclampsia who were not given epidural analgesia (group II). The outcome was further compared with 200 women who were not pre-eclamptic, but who were given epidural analgesia (group III), and also with 200 women who were normotensive and who were not given epidural analgesia (group IV). In group I, 58% of subjects delivered normally compared with 60% in group II. The operative vaginal delivery rate was 28% in group I compared with 24% in group II ( P = 0.62), and the cesarean section rate was 14% and 16% in groups I and II, respectively, ( P = 0.8). The difference was not statistically significant. The incidence of a prolonged second stage of labor was also not increased in pre-eclamptic women who received epidural analgesia. Five of the neonates in group I had a 5-min APGAR score <6 compared with seven neonates in group II. The necessity of neonatal resuscitation was also not significantly increased in group I ( P = 1.0). The incidences of fetal distress ( P = 0.71), non-progressive second stage of labor ( P = 0.66) and cephalopelvic disproportion ( P = 0.90) were not statistically different in the pre-eclampsia group compared with the non-pre-eclampsia group. Similar results were noted when these outcome measures were compared with the other two groups. With regard to hypotension and tachycardia in the pre-eclamptic subjects who were given epidural analgesia, no statistical difference ( P = 0.72) was seen when compared with the normotensive subjects. In the absence of coagulopathy, epidural analgesia is a safe and effective method for labor pain relief, even for subjects with pre-eclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horner’s syndrome is a complication of epidural analgesia and anesthesia, encountered more commonly in pregnant women than in other patients. Previous reports described the appearance of Horner’s syndrome following epidural injection of concentrated local anesthetic solutions. We report unilateral Horner’s syndrome occurring in the setting of lumbar epidural analgesia for labor with a very low local anesthetic concentration (bupivacaine 0.04%) in an epidural infusion. We discuss the possible factors that could have contributed to this occurrence despite the extremely dilute concentration of local anesthetic used for analgesia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: Epidural analgesia is commonly used for relieving labor pain incontemporary clinical practice. The rate of pregnant women who request epiduralanalgesia during labor has been increasing annually, leading to a debate on the effectof epidural analgesia on maternal or neonatal outcomes., Material and Methods: The medical records of nulliparous women with a term singletonpregnancy from January to December 2019 at the Affiliated Hospital of ZunyiMedical University were retrospectively reviewed. The women were divided intothose who received epidural analgesia during delivery and those who did not receiveit. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were assessed., Results: A total of 528 women met the inclusion criteria. The overall labor analgesiarate was 43.0% (227). Women with epidural analgesia had a significantly longersecond stage [34.5 (22.8-65.3) vs 27.0 (18.0-41.3) min, p < 0.001] and total durationof labor [698.5 (493.5-875.0) vs 489.5 (344.0-676.3) min, p < 0.001] compared withthose without epidural. There were no significant relationships between epiduralanalgesia and the normal vaginal delivery rate, the incidence of episiotomy, and otheradverse maternal or neonatal outcomes (p > 0.05)., Conclusions: Epidural analgesia can prolong the second stage of labor, but this is no increased risk for both mother and neonate.

The present case report describes an unreported complication of self limiting unilateral ptosis after uneventful lumbar epidural analgesia followed by anaesthesia for caesarean section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]