MATERNAL TEMPERATURE DURING LABOR USING LOW-DOSE (AMBULATORY) EPIDURAL ANALGESIA WITH BUPIVACAINE AND FENTANYL

Maternal temperature is known to increase during labour with conventio nal epidural analgesia mixtures. To date, the effect of newer low-dose (ambulatory) epidural concentrations on maternal temperature has not been studied. Twenty-six women in established labour received epidural analgesia with 0.1% bupivacaine and 2 mu g/ml fentanyl. Tympanic memb rane (core) temperature was measured every 30 min during labour. There was no significant overall rise in maternal temperature during labour with the use of an ambulatory epidural mixture. One patient exhibited an increase in temperature of 0.8 degrees C to 38 degrees C after 720 min and another of 1.1 degrees C to 38.1 degrees C after 630 min. We conclude that, whilst overall maternal temperature does not increase f ollowing low-dose epidural analgesia, individual increases may still o ccur after 10 h.