title: Epidural anaesthesia in labour: influence on surgical delivery rates, intrapartum fever and blood loss.
abstract: We retrospectively analyzed 7,317 fully documented deliveries to assess the effect of epidural anaesthesia (EA) on surgical delivery rates, on the incidence of intrapartum fever and on peripartal blood loss. 1,056 (14.4%) had EA and 6,261 (85.6%) had no or other analgesia. The use of EA was associated with a decreased spontaneous delivery rate (50.0 vs. 79.2%), increased forceps delivery rate (30.7 vs. 4.0%) and increased vacuum extraction rate (3.5 vs. 0.7%). The caesarean section rate was not significantly changed in patients with EA (14.4 vs. 13.0%). Fever greater than 38 degrees C during labour and intrapartum haemorrhage exceeding 500 ml were associated with the use of EA.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ploeckinger
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ulm
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chalubinski
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gruber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004841:Episiotomy; D005113:Extraction, Obstetrical; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies