[Comparative studies during continuous epidural analgesia in obstetric (author's transl)].

From 1975 on, continuous epidural analgesia has been administered at the University Department of Anaesthetics in Ulm to women for pain relief during labour. One group of 350 pregnant women received bupivacaine hydrochloride, from 1. 5. 1976 to 30. 4. 1977, another group of 350 women received bupivacaine carbonate during the period from 1. 5. 1977 to 30. 11. 1977. Within these two groups the different effects of both local anaesthetic agents were compared in respect of the course of labour, the indications for epidural analgesia, the practicability of epidural analgesia, complications during labour, the rate of pain relief, the frequency of operative deliveries and the clinical condition of the newborn. The main advantages of bupivacaine carbonate for obstetric analgesia purposes are demonstrated.