The effect of epidural analgesia on the occurrence of obstetric lacerations and on the neonatal outcome during spontaneous vaginal delivery.

The aim of this study was to determine if epidural analgesia is associated with increased risk of obstetric lacerations during spontaneous vaginal delivery. Furthermore we assessed the effect of epidural analgesia on maternal and neonatal parameters. This multicenter study consisted of an analysis of data from the delivery databases of the University Hospital of Vienna and the Semmelweis Women's Hospital Vienna. This study was restricted to a sample that included all women with uncomplicated pregnancy, a gestational age >37(th) weeks and a pregnancy with cephalic presentation. Epidural analgesia was set during the first stage of labour. Techniques and management styles of epidural analgesia were the same in both hospitals. No statistically significant association was found between epidural analgesia and the occurrence of perineal tears (p=0.83), vaginal (p=0.37) or labial trauma (p=0.11). Furthermore the results demonstrated a statistically significant higher rate of primiparous women using epidural analgesia (p=0.001). A statistically significant prolonged second stage of labour was observed in women undergoing epidural analgesia (p=0.0001). Episiotomy was statistically significant more frequent in women requiring epidural analgesia (p=0.0001). Women who were treated with epidural analgesia were more likely to have labour augmented with oxytocin (p=0.001). No statistically significant differences in neonatal outcomes determined by APGAR score (p=0.84) and cord pH (p=0.23) were observed between the two groups. Women undergoing epidural analgesia demonstrated a prolonged second stage of labour, a higher rate of episiotomy and an increased use of oxytocin to augment labour. Some of these adverse effects might be caused by the higher rate of primiparous women using epidural analgesia. However, epidural analgesia showed no evidence of a detrimental effect on the integrity of the birth-canal in spontaneous vaginal delivery. In our opinion it is a save and effective method of pain relief during labour.