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Epidural analgesia and c-section rates

Posted on May 29, 2004

From BMJ this week: Epidural analgesia using low concentration infusions of bupivacaine is unlikely to increase the risk of caesarean section but may increase the risk of instrumental vaginal delivery. Although women receiving epidural analgesia had a longer second stage of labour, they had better pain relief. My partner delivered a baby this week and struggled with 2nd stage so much that she ended up cutting an episiotomy and applying a vacuum and a consequence was a 4th degree tear. Last month, I cut the 2nd episiotomy of my lifetime and we had to fix a 3rd degree tear (one of only a hand...

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