E. Sheiner et al., A comparison between the effectiveness of epidural analgesia and parenteral pethidine during labor, ARCH GYN OB, 263(3), 2000, pp. 95-98
The study was aimed to define parturients' opinion on either epidural analg
esia or intravenous pethidine, and to determine the effect of both analgesi
cs after delivery. We interviewed and examined 401 consecutive parturients
who requested analgesia during the beginning of their active stage of labor
. Of those, 131 women requested and underwent epidural analgesia. and 270 r
eceived parenteral pethidine. The pain experienced before admission of any
analgesia, was significantly higher in the epidural group than in the paren
tal group (mean visual analog scale (VAS) score 8.9 and 8.4, respectively;
P=0.004). However, after analgesics, women from the epidural analgesia expe
rienced significantly less pain during labor as compared to those receiving
pethidine (mean VAS scores 5.05 vs. 9.14, respectively: p<0.001). The pain
scores 24 h after labor were significantly lower in patients who underwent
epidural analgesia (1.69 vs. 2.13, respectively; p<0.001). We conclude tha
t epidural analgesia is more effective than parenteral analgesia in pain an
d discomfort relief. This method is helpful also the day after delivery. Th
us, epidural analgesia should be strongly recommended to all patients who d
o not have any medical contraindications to this method of treatment.