Continuous caudal analgesia and anesthesia in obstetrics

1. Five hundred and ten patients in whom caudal analgesia was attempted were studied. 2. Eighty per cent of patients in labor were found to be suitable for caudal analgesia with 97.5 per cent complete success. 3. An increased incidence in the use of oxytocic agents and operative obstetrics was found. 4. The advantages of caudal analgesia with elective induction of labor are stressed. 5. Three babies were lost, of whom 2 had congenital abnormalities incompatible with life. This gives a corrected neonatal mortality rate of 0.2 per cent.