Preliminary experience of the use of meptazinol as an obstetric analgesic.

Following an open pilot trial, meptazinol [m(3-ethyl-1-methyl-hexahydro-1-H-azepin-3-yl) phenol hydrochloride] was compared to pethidine in a single-blind study in women requiring analgesia during labour. Meptazinol provided significantly better analgesia than pethidine with similar but possibly less distressing maternal side effects. There were no obvious adverse effects in the newborn.