title: [Epidural obstetrical analgesia and cardiotocography].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The increase of cardiotocographic abnormalities, such as late decelerations, bradycardia and reduced variability have been reported with epidural analgesia (EDA) in some studies. The aim of our study was to assess the influence of epidural analgesia on the incidence of the pathological cardiotocographic patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  A clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jessenius Medical Faculty of Comenius University, Martin, Slovak Republic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical group consists of 200 parturients, who borne in our department from 1997 to 2000. The epidural group of parturients (n = 100) borne under epidural analgesia, the control group of (n = 100) borne under other resp. no analgesic method. We compared BFHR, variability and the incidence of accelerations and decelerations in CTG between both groups. All cardiotocographic patterns were evaluated by Fischer score. For statistic evaluation was used Student t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not find any statistically significant differences in Fischer score between epidural and control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The epidural labour analgesia is safe method of ease pain during labour. In our study we confirmed, that EDA is not responsible for the increase of pathological cardiotocographic patterns.
authors.affiliation: Gynekologicko-pôrodnícka klinika JLF UK a MFN, Martin.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomás
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Danko
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dókus
mesh_terms: D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects; D015148:Cardiotocography; D005260:Female; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy