title: The labour ward analgesic service at King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban.
abstract: The provision of analgesic services to the labour ward at King Edward VIII Hospital was studied during a 1-week period. Of 249 patients, 113 (45%) received no analgesia whatsoever. Intramuscular pethidine was the commonest form of analgesia and was used in 97 patients (39%). Thirty-six patients (14%) received epidural analgesia and only 4 inhalational analgesia using nitrous oxide and oxygen (Entonox). A significant proportion of patients who received pethidine were given the drug between 1 and 3 hours before delivery, increasing the potential for opiate-related neonatal depression. Of the patients given opiate analgesia, 22 (23%) proceeded to caesarean section and could have been at increased risk of aspiration of gastric contents owing to delayed gastric emptying caused by the opiate. One hundred and eleven mothers (76%) who had an obstetric indication for epidural analgesia were denied it because of lack of medical staffing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics, University of Natal, Durban.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rocke
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Rout
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D013019:South Africa