title: Moving beyond the debate: a holistic approach to understanding and treating effects of neuraxial analgesia.
abstract: Neuraxial analgesia is here to stay, yet, spirited debate continues over potential harms and the quality of research that fails to identify them. This paper proposes moving beyond the debate and examining holistically the impact of neuraxial analgesia on the psychophysiology of mother and baby. A review of alterations in functioning of many systems is followed by a suggested four-part protocol to partially restore normal physiology and emotional well-being, and improve outcomes of neuraxial analgesia.
authors.affiliation: Childbirth Education and Labor Support, Seattle, WA 98112, USA.
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simkin
mesh_terms: D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid