Economic considerations for epidural anesthesia in childbirth.

The relationships between epidural anesthesia and selected intrapartum outcomes was examined in 140 first-term pregnancies. Significant relationships were found with four outcomes: increased use of forceps or vacuum extractor, increased length of second stage labor, increased incidence of Cesarean birth, and increased need for oxytocin augmentation. These findings have significant implications for staffing on labor units and costs.