Just In
- 2 hrs ago Heeramandi Screening: Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday, Rashmika Mandanna And Others Serve Finest Ethnic Style!
- 3 hrs ago From Alia Bhatt To Kriti Sanon, Korean Beauty Products That Bollywood Divas Swear By
- 6 hrs ago Exclusive: On World Malaria Day 2024, Dr Shares Danger Signs Parents Must Watch Out For In Child With Malaria
- 6 hrs ago Exclusive: Expert Debunks 5 Common Misconceptions About Expectant Mothers That You Need To Steer Clear From
Don't Miss
- Movies Vahbiz Dorabjee On Being Offered Mother Roles; Losing 10 Kgs & Stunning Transformation: I Was Impacting My…
- News Rs 4 Crore Cash Seizure Case: BJP Leader Nainar Nagendran To Appear Before TN Police On May 2
- Finance Rs 7.50/Share Dividend: Adani Group Cement Company Reports Strong Q4 Results; Profit Surges 2x YoY
- Education Tamil Nadu SSLC Results 2024: Number of Ways you can check the Results
- Automobiles Bajaj To Offer Chetak Electric Scooter At Lower Price Point: All Details Here
- Sports Bangladesh vs Zimbabawe: Will Shakib Al Hasan Play Home T20 Series In May Or Not?
- Technology Qualcomm Reveals Snapdragon X Plus Chip for Laptops: 10 Core CPU, On-Device AI, & Much More
- Travel Escape to Kalimpong, Gangtok, and Darjeeling with IRCTC's Tour Package; Check Itinerary
Pregnancy And Birth: Side Effects of Epidural Injections On Mother And Foetus
Labour pain during childbirth is a natural phenomenon. However, in some cases, the administration of epidurals are suggested to relieve the pain of labour and make the process of delivery a little easier and painless.
An epidural injection is filled with a small amount of local anaesthetic and injected into the epidural space of the spinal cord. The aesthetic helps block the sensation of pain by numbing the spinal nerves that carry pain signals from the body parts to the brain.
Epidurals are considered safe and effective than painkillers or medications used to reduce pain during the labour. Though epidural analgesia is mainly used for normal delivery, it is also used in some cases of caesarean section delivery.
While epidurals are safe, complications or side effects may occur. They are mainly due to poor health, dose issues, allergic reactions or blood clotting problems in a mother. [1]
In this article, we will discuss some of the possible side effects of epidurals. Take a look. Also, remember that the side effects related to epidural analgesia vary in different women, depending on their age and health.
1. Postpartum Backache
The most common concern relating to epidural anaesthesia is postpartum backache. Though the technique relieves pain during the labour, it may cause long-term back pain in the years to come. However, the study is controversial as postpartum back pain is common in around 44 per cent of women and associating that only with epidural analgesia during labour is inappropriate. [2]
8 Health Benefits Of Folic Acid During Pregnancy
2. Low Blood Pressure
In around 14 out of 100 women, hypotension or low blood pressure occurs due to epidural, resulting in symptoms like dizziness or nausea. According to experts, hypotension must be treated rapidly during the delivery as oxygenation to the foetus and uterine blood flow is dependent on the blood pressure of the mother. Hypotension can also result in a disturbance in fetal heart rate pattern. [3]
3. Intrapartum Fever
The prevalence of intrapartum fever in women due to epidurals is 23 out of 100. Though it is a noninfectious cause of maternal fever, it may increase the risk of cerebral palsy, neonatal death and encephalopathy. A study has shown that even 1-2 degree-Celcius increase in brain temperature can cause brain damage to the foetus. [4]
4. Urinary Retention
Urinary retention in women is frequent who recently had a vaginal delivery. When women are under the influence of epidural, they may not feel the need to urinate. This results in retention of the urine in the bladder, leading to overfilling, stretch and damage to the bladder muscles. [5]
Pregnancy And Folic Acid: Foods Rich In This Essential Nutrient
5. Breastfeeding Difficulties
Epidural analgesia can affect breastfeeding to some extent. According to a study, some epidural drugs can cause depressed sucking behaviour for around 15-45 minutes and delayed initiation of mouth movement in newborns, compared to those who were delivered without epidural. [6]
6. Nerve Damage
Though epidurals are mainly injected by experienced experts, in some cases, it may get threaded too deeply in the epidural space of the spinal cord and cause long-lasting damage. To note, the prevalence of nerve damage associated with epidurals is 1-2 per cent. [7]
7. Heart Rate Abnormalities
In some cases, neuraxial analgesia or epidurals can cause persistent fetal bradycardia (heart rate abnormalities in the foetus) which may lead to emergency C-section. As the epidurals block the nerves to ease labour pain, the type of nerve blockage could slow down the foetus heart rate and cause abnormalities. Also, other factors like maternal health contribute to the condition. The incidence is uncommon compared to other side effects. [8]
Sexual Intercourse During Pregnancy: Benefits, Complications And Sex For Induction Of Labour
8. Meningitis
It is very rare to get acute bacterial meningitis after the administration of epidural. A study talks about a young woman who was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis on the third day after the delivery. The woman had a persistent headache after the delivery and even after receiving epidural blood patch, her condition continued leading to persistent fever. Meningitis could have occurred due to contamination of the subarachnoid space by blood patch. [9]
9. Pruritis
It is the most troublesome side effect of epidurals caused due to the inappropriate dose of epidural drugs (opioids). High dose of epidurals causes the release of histamines. This may result in irritating sensations and urge to scratch body areas, especially the nose and upper facial areas. [10]
10. Epidural Abscess
The incidence of an epidural abscess is very less around 1.2 per 10000 patients. People with diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of the condition. When intravenous drug administration is carried out, some bacteria many get into the epidural space and cause infections. This may result in an epidural abscess. [11]
15 Healthy Black-Coloured Foods You Must Include In Your Diet
11. Headache
Postdural puncture headache in pregnant women is a common complication of epidural anaesthesia. The administration of epidurals via a small and pencil-point needle to the dura mater can be the main cause of the condition. A study has shown that around 28 per cent of pregnant women may experience a chronic headache due to epidurals. [12]
- healthExclusive: Expert Debunks 5 Common Misconceptions About Expectant Mothers That You Need To Steer Clear From
- healthSolar Eclipse 2024: Dos and Don'ts for Pregnant Women During Surya Grahan
- healthLunar Eclipse 2024: Dos And Don'ts For Pregnant Woman During Chandra Grahan
- fashionDeepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh Announce Pregnancy: 6 Maternity Outfit Ideas For The Modern Mom-to-Be
- healthLate Singer Sidhu Moose Wala's Mother Is Pregnant Through IVF, Know What It Is And How To Prepare For It
- insyncVirat Kohli And Anushka Sharma Name Their Baby Boy 'Akaay', Know What This Beautiful Name Means?
- pregnancy parentingMaternal Health Awareness Day 2024: 15 Foods That Boost Maternal Health
- pregnancy parentingFrom Contractions To Water Breaking: Knowing When It's Time For The Hospital During Pregnancy
- pregnancy parentingBirth Control Pills Can Affect This Primary Function In Women: Find Out What
- pregnancy parentingTwo Wombs, Four Hearts: US Mom's Extraordinary Double Uterus Pregnancy
- healthExclusive: A Pregnant Mom Can Posses These Maternal, Fetal Health Risks If Exposed To Air Pollution
- pregnancy parentingDelhi Air Pollution: Pregnant Women Must Follow These 4 Things!