The Epidural Epidemic - Page 2

Things To Know About Epidurals:

1. Causes longer labors with slower progress.^5.6
2. Can cause fevers in mothers during childbirth.⁷
3. Increase use of pitocin by as much as 3 ½ times, which causes slow and irregular contractions.^5,8
4. Increases use of antibiotics in your baby by as much as 4 times.⁴
5. Increases use of forceps by as much 4½ - 20 times.⁵
6. Causes neonatal jaundice due to altered red blood cells.⁹
7. Increases the incidence of birth trauma due to the use of mechanically assisted deliveries.^10,11
8. Causes adverse behavioral effects of the neonate.¹²

In order to bring about a reversal in epidural usage, mothers must become educated not only on its potential side effects, but on their bodies' own ability to give birth naturally. The overwhelming fear associated with birth has become a learned behavior in our culture. Fear causes additional muscular tension in the body, resulting in decreased blood supply to organs and therefore impaired uterine function. It is our privilege and obligation as Chiropractors to care for these women throughout their pregnancies, offering them encouragement and educating about choices for their upcoming experience. I have been told by many chiropractors (and have heard it in our own practice) how women look forward to their visit with us because we treat the process of pregnancy with respect, and we enhance the mothers confidence in her own innate abilities.

References:

1. Graninger EM; McCool WP. Nurse-midwives' use of and attitudes toward epidural analgesia. J Nurse Midwifery 1998; 43(4):250-61
2. 1996 Physicians Desk Reference
3. Stavrou C; Hofmeyr GJ; Boezaart AP. Prolonged fetal bradycardia during epidural analgesia. Incidence, timing and significance. S Afr Med J 1990; 77(2):66-8
4. Thompson TT; Thorp JM Jr; Mayer D; Kuller JA; Bowes WA Jr . Does epidural analgesia cause dystocia? J Clin Anesth 1998; 10(1):58-65
5. Studd JW; Crawford JS; Duignan NM; Rowbotham CJ; Hughes AO. The effect of lumbar epidural analgesia on the rate of cervical dilatation and the outcome of labour of spontaneous onset. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1980; 87(11):1015-21
6. Alexander JM; Lucas MJ; Ramin SM; McIntire DD; Leveno KJ. The course of labor with and without epidural analgesia. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1998; 178(3):516-20
7. Lieberman E, Lang JM, Frigoletto F Jr, Richardson DK, Ringer SA, Cohen A, Epidural analgesia, intrapartum fever, and neonatal sepsis evaluation. Pediatrics 1997; 99(3): 415-9
8. McRae-Bergeron CE; Andrews CM; Lupe PJ. The effect of epidural analgesia on the second stage of labor. AANA J 1998; 66(2):177-82
9. Clark DA; Landaw SA. Bupivacaine alters red blood cell properties: a possible explanation for neonatal jaundice associated with maternal anesthesia. Pediatr Res 1985; 19(4):341-3
10. Town A. Latent spinal cord and brain stem injuries in newborn infants Develop Ed Child Neural 1969, 11; 54-68
11. Menticoglou SM; Perlman M; Manning FA; High cervical spinal cord injury in neonates delivered with forceps: report of 15 cases. Obstet Gynecol 1995; 86(4 Pt 1):589-94
12. Murray AD; Dolby RM; Nation RL; Thomas DB. Effects of epidural anesthesia on newborns and their mothers. Child Dev1981; 52(1):71-82

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