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Natural Childbirth V: Epidural Side Effects and Risks

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Before we dive into a discussion of epidural analgesia I’d like to clarify my intention in writing this series in light of some of the comments on previous articles.

The purpose of this series on natural childbirth is to demonstrate that homebirth is as safe – if not safer – than hospital birth for low risk pregnancies, and that medical interventions commonly used in hospital births such as epidurals, induction with synthetic oxytocin and cesarean sections have risks and complications that are often not communicated to pregnant women.

Currently fewer than 1% of births happen at home in the U.S., and I believe this is largely due to misconceptions about its safety. My intention here is to correct those misconceptions.

The purpose of this series is not to condemn the use of these interventions in all circumstances. All of them have their place, and can be very helpful and even life-saving (for mothers and babies) when used appropriately. In fact, I said the following in bold text at the end of the first article in this series:

I want to be clear: no matter where birth takes place, complications may arise that require medical intervention and I am 100% in support of it in these cases.

There is still much we don’t understand about birth, and even more we don’t have direct control over. In some cases, despite a woman’s best efforts to have a natural, undisturbed birth, complications arise that require medical attention (and transfer to a hospital if she started laboring at home). In these circumstances, I absolutely endorse taking advantage of whatever interventions may protect the health and safety of both the mother and baby. At the end of the day, that is far, far more important than the method by which the baby was born.

I also want to be clear that I am not judging women who choose to have hospital births, receive epidurals, induce with Pitocin or end up having a cesarean section. I respect the right of women to choose a method of childbirth that feels safe and comfortable for them.

My purpose, instead, is to tell the side of the story that women are often not told, and to raise awareness of the risks associated with these procedures so that when it comes time to make their own decision, women are adequately educated and informed to do so.

What is an epidural and how common are they?

Dr. Leonard J. Corning, a neurologist in New York, was the first physician to use an epidural. In 1885 he injected cocaine into the back of a patient suffering from spinal weakness and seminal incontinence.

Today, epidurals are by far the most popular method of pain relief during labor in U.S. hospitals. According to the Listening to Mothers II survey (2006), more than 75 percent of women reported that they received an epidural, including 71 percent of women who had a vaginal birth. In Canada in 2005-2006, 54 percent of women who gave birth vaginally used an epidural, and during those same years in England, 22 percent of women overall had an epidural before or during delivery.

In an epidural, a local anesthetic – still derived from cocaine – is injected into the epidural space (the space around the tough coverings that protect the spinal cord). Epidurals block nerve signals from both the sensory and motor nerves, which provides effective pain relief but immobilizes the lower part of the recipient’s body.

In the last decade, a new type of epidural has been developed (called “walking epidurals”) that reduce the motor block and allow some mobility.

Spinal analgesia (a.k.a. “spinals”) are also used for pain relief during labor, but unlike conventional epidurals, they allow women to move during labor. In a spinal, the analgesic drug is injected directly into the spinal space through the dura, producing fast-acting, short-term pain relief.

Epidurals have significant impacts on all hormones of labor

In the last article, Natural Childbirth IV: The Hormones of Birth, we discussed the exquisite orchestration of hormones during birth and the risks of interfering with the body’s natural hormone regulation.

Unfortunately, epidurals interfere with all of the hormones we discussed.

They inhibit beta-endorphin production, which in turn shuts down the shift in consciousness (“going to another planet”) that characterizes undisturbed birth.

Epidurals reduce oxytocin production or keep it from rising during labor. They also blunt the oxytocin peak that would otherwise occur at the time of birth because the stretching receptors of a woman’s lower vagina (which trigger the peak) are numbed.

As Dr. Sarah Buckley explains 1:

A woman laboring with an epidural therefore misses out on the final powerful contractions of labor and must use her own effort, often against gravity, to compensate for this loss. This explains the increased length of the second stage of labor and the increased need for forceps when an epidural is used.

Epidurals have also been shown to inhibit catecholamine (CA) production.

Remember that CA can slow or stop labor in the early stages, but it promotes the fetus ejection reflex in the second stage of labor. Thus inhibiting CA production may make delivery more difficult.

Epidurals limit release of prostaglandin F2 alpha, a lipid compound that stimulates uterine contractions and is thought to be involved with the initiation of labor. Prostaglandin F2 alpha levels should naturally rise during an undisturbed labor. However, in one study women with epidurals experienced a decrease in PGF2 alpha and a consequent increase in labor times from 4.7 to 7.8 hours.

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Epidurals interfere with labor and have side effects for mothers

Epidurals have been shown to have the following effects on labor and laboring mothers:

One important thing to note about these studies: in most of them, the women in the “control” groups were given opiate painkillers, which are also known to disrupt the natural hormonal processes of birth. We can assume, then, that a comparison of women using no drugs during labor would have revealed even more substantial differences.

Epidural also have side effects for babies

It’s important to understand that drugs administered by epidural enter the baby’s bloodstream at equal and sometimes even higher levels than those present in the mother’s bloodstream.

However, because babies’ immune systems are immature, it takes longer for them to eliminate epidural drugs. For example, the half-life of bupivacaine, a commonly used epidural analgesic, is 2.7 hours in an adult but close to 8 hours in a newborn. 2

Studies have found detectable amounts of bupivacain metabolites in the urine of exposed newborns for 36 hours following spinal anesthesia for cesarians.

Some studies have found deficits in newborn abilities that are consistent with the known toxicity of drugs used in epidurals.

Other studies have found that local anesthetics used in epidurals may adversely effect the newborn immune system, possibly by activating the stress response.

There is evidence that epidurals can compromise fetal blood and oxygen supply, probably via the decrease in maternal blood pressure that epidurals are known to cause.

Epidurals have been shown to cause fetal bradycardia, a decrease in the fetal heart rate (FHR). This is probably secondary to the decrease in maternal CA caused by epidurals which in turn leads to low blood pressure and uterine hyper-stimulation.

Epidurals can cause maternal fever, which in turn may affect the baby. In a large study of first-time moms, babies born to mothers with fever (97% of whom had epidurals) were more likely to be in poor condition (low APGAR scores) at birth, to have poor tone, to require resuscitation and to have seizures in the newborn period, compared to babies born to mothers without fever.

Older studies using the more exacting Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS, devised by pediatricians) rather than the newer, highly criticized Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Score (NACS, devised by anesthesiologists – can you say “conflict of interest”?) found significant neurobehavioral effects in babies exposed to epidurals.

In one such study, researchers found less alertness and ability to orient, and less mature motor abilities, for the first month of life. These findings were in proportion to the dose of bupivacaine administered, suggesting a dose-related response.

Epidurals may interfere with mother-baby bonding and breastfeeding

Some studies suggest that epidurals may interfere with the normal bonding that occurs between mothers and babies just after birth.

In one study, mothers given epidurals spent less time with their babies in the hospital. The higher doses of drugs they received, the less time they spent.

In another study, mothers who had epidurals described their babies as more difficult to care for one month later than mothers who hadn’t had an epidural.

It’s important to note that neither of these studies prove that epidurals were the cause of the behavioral changes observed. However, if epidurals were at fault, the effects are most likely caused by their interference with the natural orchestration of hormones we discussed in the previous post, and may also be influenced by drug toxicity and the complications associated with epidural births: long labors, forceps and cesareans.

There is also evidence that epidurals may decrease breastfeeding efficiency.

In one study, researchers used the Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool (IBFAT) and found scores highest amongst unmedicated babies, lower for babies exposed to epidurals and IV opiates, and lowest for babies exposed to both.

A large prospective study found that women who had used epidurals were more than 2 times as likely to have stopped breastfeeding by 24 weeks compared with women who used non-pharmacological pain relief.

Conclusion

Epidural analgesia is a highly effective form of pain relief and a useful intervention in certain circumstances.

However, epidurals and spinals also cause unintended side effects in both the mother and baby, and interfere with the natural birth process and bonding between mother & baby.

In some cases epidurals may be beneficial, but the evidence suggests that they should not be used as routinely as they currently are in the U.S. and other industrialized countries.

Articles in this series:

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  1. Buckley S. Gentle birth, gentle mothering: a doctor’s guide to natural childbirth and early parenting choices. Celestial Arts 2009. pp.117
  2. Hale TW. Medications and Mother’s Milk. 12. Amarillo, TX: Hale Publishing; 2006.
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197 Comments

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  1. People don’t understand that even though an epidural isn’t very life threatening it doens’t mean that it isn’t at all. Most likely most women will have a n epidural becuase it is easy and the number of women that have complications are very slim, BUT! what if you are that woman. Do you want to take that chance. be the one that says, “It won’t happen to me”.

    The alternative is also simple and it has nothing to do with chemicals. It might not be as good and as painless as an epidural but it gets very close.

    I like to use the condem analogy: Sex might be more fun without a condem but for those few minutes you might get some STD and suffer all your life.
    True, Labor is a little longer but the effects of a bad epidural reaction could last a life time. So think about it.

    • What possible alternative could be as close to painless as an epidural?! Sounds like snake oil to me.

  2. I had the luck of having a water birth with a Midwife, I can say I do not regret it one bit, I loved the experience, I cannot say the pain was nothing, because it is painful but the water works miracles, I was falling asleep between contractions everything worked just fine, Something that helped me was having my sister and my partner caress my feet and forehead, it reduced the pain incredibly. All I can say is that we need to trust our bodies, they are so wise and perfect creators of life. I researched this so much, this was my first baby and I feel so proud of myself because I endured it and I got to enjoy all the love hormones and the greatest rush I have ever felt. Once he was born all the pain disappeared, He was so alert since day one. up till now I try not to use chemicals on his body at all and I watch what I eat and what I feed him, as I am still breastfeeding after a year and I know all these choices have been for the best, He has never gotten sick, only one cold so far. Moms please research everything you do, Your child depends on your choices and you cannot afford to make bad decisions with someone else’s life.

  3. I decided to have an epidural after my ninth child. I can say my daughter and I came out very well. No side effects and me and my daughter bonded very well after ward. If I had to use an epidural again I would. .

  4. The risk of epidural is very low, lower than that of driving a car. There is no advantage of waiting to dilate to a specific number of cm before asking for epidural; as soon as labor is established you can have an epidural. Prolongation of labor with epidural varies, and some studies even state that superior pain relief makes labor progress faster. So in your case it is not necessarily the epidural that resulted in longer labor.

    I said it many times: the desire to avoid pain does not make you a worse person or a bad mother. There is absolutely nothing good about labor pain.

    • :-/ ……spoken like a man who makes his money from administering epidurals. Yes you have given good information but you have been very clear about where your stand point and views are coming from. It is your livelihood. I had an epidural for the birth of my first over 16 years ago. It was VERY nice at the time. But had someone told me that I would suffer the results of the hormone inhibiting and have postpartum depression for a full two years following….. or that my epidural site would still flare up and cause me pain on and off still sixteen years later, I would have been inclined to re-think my decision. There are aspects of the those little stories that women share in their own personal experiences that are very valid and just because something is MOSTLY safe doesn’t mean it hasn’t had negative effects in some way other than death (which for some reason is how we tend to measure the safety of things within medicine—well people aren’t dying so it’s all good.) Birth is spiritual as well as emotional and physical and for some women they have a better experience with the epidural——while some women do far better without. Now that being said, I have given birth ONCE with an epidural and my experience was traumatic so I decided not to replay that scene. I have given birth now 6 more times at home without an epidural. And if I could get an epidural without stepping into a hospital and dealing with medical staff and interventions, I very likely totally would! But given that you can’t have one without the the other, I will continue to birth without the “pain-free benefits” of an epidural so that I can get all the other benefits that are of utmost importance to me. SO please understand, it isn’t about scaring women out of epidurals…. it is about helping one another understand not to fear the birth process in the first place. Then if you need and epidural during the course of the journey, fine. But some young women are so scared of birth itself that they want an epidural as soon as they find out they are pregnant….. and they aren’t asking any questions…. they just assume that it is safe and that is what they are doing. They don’t know if they will even need it or will have time for it or that some times, it doesn’t work and that often times it may not work evenly. But that is what they have decided and they are going into their birthing experience uninformed and under educated and unprepared. Posts like this one and the experiences of others who have been there done that, at least allow women the opportunity for information.

      • Your post illustrates the apparent tendency of blaming epidurals for everything. Post-partum depression is not caused or aggravated by epidurals. On the contrary, a recent article suggested that labor epidural reduces its risk: http://www.allaboutepidural.com/2014/labor-epidural-prevents-post-partum-depression

        Also, while I am not questioning your experience, current data does not support the suggestion that epidural consistently causes prolonged back pain: http://www.allaboutepidural.com/epidural-and-back-pain
        If epidural is the cause of back pain in your case, this is rather an exception.

        Lastly, you’re right, I make a living practicing medicine and my opinions come from a certain angle. This angle also includes near disasters (and actual disasters) where “natural” birth has gone wrong. And I said many times that I don’t expect anybody to take my word for face value. All I do is present facts, in the best possible way I can. Do your research and make your own decision.

  5. Hi there,
    Im now 37 weeks, second baby and YES i plan the epidural. I took it too with my first kid and had no complains whatsoever. I couldnt dialate for six days i was having contractions. I was so exhausted and in pain that i demanded epidural when i open up 4cm. Me generally having low pain treshold i feel the smallest pain double hard than others. The contractions themselves were too traumatic for me so i took the risk coz i was soo anxious about the pain. Thanks God everything went fine. It did though prolong labour…but thats about it. Im so scared of the pain that honestly i gladly take the risk. And as an afterthought to add: even with the epidural it was painful enough for me! Cant imagin how it is without!
    Call me spoiled,call me a coward…whatever…i still support the epidural. 🙂

  6. …but I do have to say…a wonderful advantage of delivering in a hospital is the fact that you’re able to have ultrasounds done, they can tell whether or not the cord is around baby’s neck, whether or not baby’s in breech position and if baby’s heart bit is still normal, if baby’s already in distress. And if any of those happen, then at least you have the peace of mind they do a c-section quick and they’re able to save your baby. If these happen and you’re home, and have no idea there is actually something going wrong….how can you save that baby?! They used to deliver home a lot back in the past, but back then they used to have 6-7 babies and even more…and if 3-4 got lost in the way, not a big problem, there’s still some left…things changed now. Women don’t feel like they should be constantly pregnant just to get out of the woods with one child or two. Now women most likely have one or two pregnancies and obviously want to make sure their babies survive all, not just….34.5% of them. My bottom line is…I would advise any pregnant woman to give birth where they could do something IF something goes wrong. But go in there prepared, well informed, careful and inquiring on everything they’re trying to inject into them, know they have the right to deny a certain service they’re not comfortable with, and be firm about it.

    When my OBGYN arrived to the hospital to see me, I was dilated to 3.5. But before she walked in the room, I felt like using the bathroom (empty frequently so you won’t get an infection). While in the bathroom, my monitor got switched over on my belly and once I got back in the room and hook it up, it won’t read the contractions correctly. And that’s exactly what my OBGYN read — barely any contractions. She left telling me she’ll be back in the morning (it was midnight!). The nurse came in the room telling me she’ll start me on Pitocin, based on my doctor’s orders.

    I told her No! I personally feel my contractions are going pretty strong and did not feel I need any ‘help’. I was very firm about it and told her if the doctor loves Pitocin so much, she’d better go on it. My husband checked my monitor and figured out what the issue really was! Only an hour and a half later my baby was out, without the need of any Pitocin! I could have been injected with that thing just because the doctor read a malfunctioning monitor, but I trusted my instincts and said Stop!! before the trouble happened! I advise any woman to be extra careful, checking on them and double checking!

    Obviously, my OBGYN showed up when everything was too late! The baby was out for quite a few hours already — 2 residents delivered my baby. Luckily, they paged another doctor and he did show up, but didn’t have to do a thing — the 2 very young residents handled the job magnificently!

    So yes…I was lucky, but we do create, produce our own luck, too! Be lucky! Trust yourself! Know your rights! Know you deserve the best and ask for it!!

  7. I gave birth to two daughters. Both natural, without epidural. However, I must say, I wish I was as brave as other women and not need pain killers at all. They gave them to me both times, through the IV. First birth, I had no idea what was going to happen, I said better spare me the pain 🙂 but they could not put the epidural in place because I was so shaky. Whatever they injected in the IV was so strong, I couldn’t feel a thing. Luckily my husband realized and told them to decrease the dosage. But it took me hours of pushing until I finally got the job done! 🙁 they had to mention the word ‘c-section’ and that motivated me! Half an hour later, she was already out! 🙂 Second time…my platelets were way too low for an epidural … I waited until I was dialeted to 7 to ask for painkillers through IV and I requested smallest dosage possible. It gave me half an hour to regain my strength and when I felt like pushing, had them check me, I was fully dialeted indeed, I needed one contraction for the head and one for the body! 🙂 I had total control over my pushing, unlike first delivery when they overmedicated me and could not feel a thing! So I guess taking the pain does have its advantages — motivates one get the job done faster! 🙂 I do admire the women who can go without any painkiller whatsoever! Not so much my first time, but second time I really , honestly tried hard to deliver without any pain meds. But I wasn’t strong enough 🙁 but I do thank God for keeping the epidural away from me twice, and the Pitocin. Both times I was supposed to be induced (gestational diabetes) and both times I went in labor on my own and delivered naturally exactly when I was supposed to be induced. Thank You, God! You’ve been a really good friend to me.

  8. natural birth is too easy. Pains are not as bad, as it is thought. Secondly period of severe pains is too short. Your body becomes well adopted to to tolerate last pains, the mild pains which u r having since 10-12 hours, makes ur body habitual of tolerating pains, and u remain too easy in last few moments of pushing. How God be so cruel to women? How nature be so cruel to women? Now doubt birth is painful, but poin is that, your body is prepared for it. If you keep patience, you can deliver baby in just 1 or 2 pushes. So be confident. I have 2 babies, both times 10-12 hours of mild pains with intervals. And 15 minutes of bit high pains, and only 2,3 pushes of delivry. The main key to have good experience is just to kick out you fears, just stay calmn and confident. Birth is a thing not beyond of this universe 🙂

    • Most women don’t have the easy experience you had. Stop judging and realize that childbirth is different for every woman.

  9. Natural childbirth is good to consider but if the health of the mother is at risk, the experts should decide which method should be the best. We can’t deny that certain medicine has side effects, this is why it’s ideal to consult medical experts first before coming up with a medication.

  10. An educated comment. First of all, the amount of drugs that gets absorbed from the epidural space is very small. Normally epidural is done with 0.2% ropivacaine and 4ug/ml of fentanyl. The former does not have any unfavorable effects on the fetus. The latter, an opioid, potentially can cause side effects and complications. However, given that epidural infusion is done at about 10 ml/hour, the amount of fentanyl given to the mother is 40 um/h. This amount is quickly metabolized and removed from the bloodstream. Compare this to 100 mg shot of meperidine that many midwives consider a better alternative to epidural – and you shouldget no surprise that epidural babies have significantly better Apgar scores than those born from mothers who received IM opioids.

    And yes, the factors that determoine the outcome of labor are numerous, and epidural is only one of them. The last sentence summarizes it best: “Therefore choose what you think is best for you and you little one.” Do that after learning everything you can about all things labor.

  11. I have had 2 healthy labour and deliveries WITH walking epidurals and I am pregnant with #3 and am planning on an epidural. Kudos to those that do it without anything. I have enjoyed my painless, restful labours (I actually got to sleep a little bit) I was just wondering how does the drug get into your blood stream when it is directly put into the spinal fluid (which is part of the blood brain barrier is it not). My kids did not come out drugged – 9/10 apgar with #1 and 10/10 apgar with #2. I had no issues after birth with headaches or excess pain. Minimal tearing in #1 (pushed for 30 minutes) and no tearing in #2 (pushed in 1 contraction/5 minutes and he was out). I realize these studies are done, however there are SO many factors other than epidurals and pain meds that have to be taken into consideration — family history, skeletal and muscular structure and strength, awareness of one’s own body, weight, how the mother carried, uterus position, baby position, the list could keep going. My kids are healthy and happy, so to those mothers now worried about epidurals, just be aware that YES there are risks, but there are also risks with natural birth depending on your individual health and circumstances. Therefore choose what you think is best for you and you little one.

  12. CZS, I hope you get better and wish you to get rid of your headaches. I respect your opinion, however there is no data in the medical literature that supports your view that your chronic headache was caused by epidural. First childbirth is an intense and physiologically traumatic event, which by itself sufficient to cause headache in someone who is predisposed to them. Who is treating your headaches? Your GP or a pain specialist? Once again, I wish you full recovery.

    • I see a neurologist at the headache clinic at my local major hospital. I am thinking about getting my medical records from my deliveries and seeing if there is something else that happened in the first two that didn’t in the last one. It’s been nearly 7 years now….I’ve had a headache basically since then, with no break. Thanks for you well wishes. They are appreciated.

  13. It is interesting that you connect your headaches with the day you got epidural, though on the same day you also got pitocin and you delivered the baby. And you still think epidural caused your headaches even though you had a tendency to have it easily since your teens.

    One way epidural can cause a headache is a dural tap. However it doesn’t seem to be the issue in your case. In general, it is quite common not to be able to find a cause of a headache. It would be a good idea to start a diary to record all possible things that may cause your headache: duration of sleep, detailed record of foods eaten, stress, travel, alcohol, medication etc. Maybe eating some sugar or processed food will ease the headaches? I get severe headaches from oversleeping, so I try to avoid doing it or take strong painkillers early.

    Epidural analgesia in labor is still considered somewhat exotic by many people, and that’s why it is blamed for lots of ills it does not cause. I find it unfortunate.

    • I think the fact that I have always been susceptible to headaches is the reason I ended up with chronic daily headaches after the epidural with my first baby. And yes, I definitely think that the epidural is the cause of the escalation. The epidural is the only thing in common from my first two births (besides the actual baby), as I did not get pitocin with the second and the fact that the headaches did not get worse after my third which was a natural birth as it did with the second, seems to point in that direction. I do have a general idea of what will make it much worse: not enough sleep, an abundance of caffeine, sugar, processed food, alcohol. So while eating better decreases the intensity, they are by no means gone. I do realize that there are a lot of women that can have epidurals with seemingly no problems, but I feel like my issues are from the epidural and maybe it was the pitocin combined with the epidural that screwed up my brain physiology. I have no clue. All I know is I am the one that has to deal with this day in and day out, which is what I find unfortunate and frustrating.

  14. I have had migraines and the tendency to have headaches easily since I was a teen. When I had my first child, I was talked into getting induced early, I tried to go natural, but after laboring all night with no progress I was exhausted and was “encouraged” to get pitocin and and epidural. I said yes. I now have chronic daily headaches. The headaches started the day I got the epidural. They subsided somewhat when I was pregnant with my second. But I ended up with an epidural again, and the headaches got really bad again. With my third, the headaches got a little better again and I was determined to do a natural delivery. I had a midwife and I did. The headaches thankfully did not get worse. However, I still have them. I feel like I have seen every Doc and talked to every anesthesia person I know, I basically get a shrug and a I have no clue answer. No one can tell my a) why I have headaches and b) how I can get rid of them. I take supplement recommended by my neurologist, changed my eating, literally eat no processed food, no soda, no sugar–and I still can’t get rid of them. I would give almost anything to go back and redo my first birth. I get so frustrated with the lack of answers.

  15. This infomation is useful.

    But it would be a lot more useful if it included at least *something* about the frequency of various physical effects mentioned — on either the mother or on the baby.

    For example, the various potential negative effects on the baby of the mother’s receiving an epidural are useful to know. But it would be *immensely* more useful if at least *some* information were provided about how often they occur. (With the full understanding that any generalization cannot take into account the differences in dosages, mothers, and babies.)

    In fact, it is not clear from what I read above whether *any* of the aftereffects on the baby of the mother’s epidural might typically be long-term effects, or whether all of them are short-term effects.

    It is also completely ignored that expectant mothers may be filled with anxiety by worrying about the possibly agonizing pain that labor and giving birth may cause them. This anxiety undoubtedly affects the baby, and its effects have to be weighed against the effects of an epidural. (If the mother knows she can have an epidural with only the faintest risk of long-term effects on the baby, she might be a great deal less anxious.)

    Is its valuable to get this side of the story, but it is *****much***** less valuable when the likelihood of the ill effects, and their duration, are completely omitted. As well as the positive side of epidurals being completely omitted as well.

  16. I was induce a week early. I went in on October 4 7:00 in the morning the doctor checked my cervix said she was still a little high but started the Iv meds anyway at 12:00 they broke my water at 1 they gave me my first epidural. Didn’t help at all they put 3 valves in it still no relief. So at 2 they redid it that time it work but I felt really druged and even my skin was a yellowish color then my little Madison was born at 6:10 pm. She barly cryied after birth. They cleaned her up and gave her to me she didn’t want to eat all she wanted to do was sleep. The next day they notice that her glucose was going down and she had poor oxygen. They transfer her to St.V children hospital they notice at that time that she had Lactic Acic in her blood. Mean While I was also admitted for high blood pressure and my feet and legs were swollen worse then they ever had been, Also my face was really swollen my lips and could barly open my eyes. I was in the hospital for a day and a half before I was able to go see my baby. Time I got to see her they got her Lactic Acid level back down from a 16 to 2 and it was floating between 2 and 5. When she was 6 days old they decided to feed her started her out on breast milk 10 ml every 3 hours the next day her Lactic Acid jumped back up to 12 to 16 she had to be put back on the ventilator they stopped feeding her but they couldn’t get it to go back down. At 9 days old they transfer her to Riley Hosiptal. They was going to do more test but on the 15th at 12 midnight the last check on her levels her Lactic Acid was a 20 then she just gave out. They tested her for all of the matabolic disorders at St.V’s a month later all of her test came back and they could not find an underlined condition just that what ever they could feed her would of poisoned her. I don’t understand how an almost 9 pounds baby could have these kind of problems and the Matabolic Doctor said he never seen a case like hers. I really think it was the Epidural that causes all of these problems I think they over medicated me. Iv’e been trying to find similar story’s on the Internet but haven’t yet. I never knew that the epidural crossed over to the baby I feel so guilty. The only thing I was ever told it could cause damaged to my back, never told it could build up in my baby. I am so mad I have 3 other children all healthy and yes I was induce with all 3 and had an epidural with them but never so much. And nobody in my family or my husband has any type of Matabolic disorder in our family. I think Major Hosipal messed up and poisoned my daughter. So please anybody if you have a similar story or knows somebody who has a similar story please contact me at [email protected] Because I would really like to know if an epidural can poison a baby if to much is givin to the mother. I don’t care if its 2 yrs later I need some answers,

  17. Epidural does not increase the risk of caesarean section, this has been settled in 1998 (and confirmed many times since then). Epidural does not interfere with breastfeeding: studies show some statistically insignificant effect in the first 24 hours only. It is also important to understand the difference between the associations and cause-and-effect relationship. Epidural is associated with tears, that is correct. But it does not cause them. The reality is that women with prolonged or obstructed labour are more likely to get an epidural. Incidentally, these women are at higher risk of tears. Epidural also has beneficial effects on the baby, compared with both opioid analgesia and no analgesia. It may also prevent long-term pain after vaginal birth.

    • If you really research this matter further, you can see that the studies “proving” that epidurals do not cause higher C-section rates, are severely flawed (especially within the united states). C-sections rates skyrocketed at the same time epidurals were introduced to mothers for labor & delivery and has been rising ever since. Epidurals create larger profit margins for the medical industry, so its a no brainer that there is a large amount of disinformation floating around, claiming that its safe and doesn’t cause these additional risks/side effects.

      • Any two things that increase over time will be correlated. It does not mean they cause one another. During that time period during which both epidurals increased, so did average income, college enrollment rates, cable TV subscriptions and expenditures on dog food. By your logic, money, education, television and pets all increase c-sections too.

  18. I wish more people would trust their own bodies and realize that the female body is MADE to give birth. Without artificial interventions (i.e. Pitocin, epidurals, etc.), there are wonderful positive feedback loops that help push the woman closer and closer to delivery. There are just so many things that most women do not understand how labor works.

    • So, Connie, what is your explanation for the fact that before women routinely gave birth in hospitals, women (and babies) routinely died in childbirth? And to this day, the countries where women still die in droves in childbirth or, if they survive, often suffer horrific injuries like obstetric fistulas… are precisely the countries where women don’t give birth either in hospitals, or in birth centers/homes with **qualified** midwives ready to transfer them to hospitals as soon as things start going wrong.

  19. Mr Kressler,

    I’ve worked with mothers and babies for 15 years….Your data is seriously out of date. There is no risk for increased cesarean section in women who receive epidurals- Zhang, 2001. Not only that, in randomized prospective trials (Wang, 2009) epidurals can be given in the latent phase without increased risk of c-section. Yours and other websites only serve to frighten women and when they “give in” to pain relief, they feel they let themselves down. This is just a start…you are twisted in many of your other statements, and by using big words like PGF2- alpha you supposedly lend credence to your misguided article. And, amazingly, you forget to mention one known negative of the epidural which is increased body temperature and unnecessary neonatal workups for sepsis. I can only imagine your agenda but please don’t enlighten me further on those details. Lastly, Don’t forget to remind women that choose natural childbirth at home- when all goes well, wonderful, when it doesn’t, the experience and outcome may ruin your lives.

    • Just let the process proceed as natural as possible. Epidurals definitely influence a babies CNS. Only within the last hundred years or so have women had babies in hospitals, with forceps, and epidurals. Women have given birth naturally for centuries. There is no need to abuse the medical advantages we have today, but rather utilize them in emergency situations.

    • I had each of my 9 children using only breathing techiniques, and each time couldn’t wait to repeat the amazing experience of birth.
      And yet, my 38 year old relative chose a home-birth for her only child, and unfortunately lost the baby because the hospital equipment was lacking. Normal low-risk pregnancy, and yet the child died needlessly after birth and they will never have another child.

      • I’m so, so sorry for what your relative, her baby and her family suffered. HOME BIRTH IS NOT SAFE. I wish more people understood that.

        • Now that is a slanted opinion if I ever heard one. Do home births carry risk? Of course they do, every birth does no matter where it happens. However, lots of women deliver at home with zero emergency. Talk about trying to scare people…

          • Lots of people BASE jump without getting hurt, but that doesn’t change the fact that BASE jumping is dangerous. Certainly lots of women deliver at home with no emergency–my own mom did. But a much higher percentage of women who deliver at home end up with a dead or brain damaged baby, compared to women who deliver in a hospital–especially if you compare home-birthers to comparably low-risk hospital birthers. That still means that most women delivering at home will be fine. It’s just that many of the ones who deliver at home and are NOT fine, would have been fine at the hospital.

            So it’s just that my opinion is “slanted” by facts (such as that even the MANA study showed that home birth is more than four times more likely to end with a dead baby than hospital birth) and common sense (i.e., the fact that in those rare cases where a life threatening emergency does develop during or just after childbirth, mom and baby are much more likely to be ok if they’re already in a hospital than if they’re at home).

            • I have a lot of trouble with studies because most of them fail to compare the correct things. Like the ones you are claiming. My questions would be, how many of the babies would have died even in the hospital? And how many hospital deaths were due to unneeded procedures? There is a lot to consider when giving birth. I think home birth is great if you have a plan b and can make it to the hospital quickly just in case. I think looking at your family history and finding out how it was for your mom, sister, etc. would help make a better decision. I also think doctors should offer home delivery with midwifery skills and medical emergency skills so that more home births can end graciously. And now that more home births are being done at home, I’m interested to see how much the numbers go down in adverse events due to the practitioners gaining knowledge and experience and being able to head off any danger. I definitely think the woman should follow her instincts on how and where to give birth and try and find the most supportive group/person to help her through it.

              • **”My questions would be, how many of the babies would have died even in the hospital?”**

                That’s precisely the problem: most of them would not have.

                The best study I’m aware of is the Cornell one that came out last year. Here’s why it’s so good:

                – It looked only at low-risk pregnancies, clearly defined as singleton, vertex (head down), full term (>37 weeks) babies who were at least 2500 grams at birth.

                – It looked at EVERY birth that fit that description in the entire US over a three-year period (2007-09), so there was no selection bias.

                – It was huge (almost 10.5 million births), so the results aren’t skewed by a too-small sample size.

                And it found that LOW-RISK babies delivered by a midwife at home were MORE THAN FOUR TIMES more likely to die than low-risk babies delivered by a midwife in the hospital. They were also more than twice as likely to die as low-risk babies delivered by an OB in a hospital. You can see the chart on death rates at the bottom of this page (and you can also read the whole study here):
                http://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378%2813%2901155-1/fulltext

                That is a whole lot of unnecessarily dead babies, isn’t it.

    • Thank you! In full agreement, there is a time to give an epideral that is appropriate that will not increase those risks