title: Effects of maternal epidural analgesia on the neonate--a prospective cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidural analgesia is one of the most popular modes of analgesia for child birth. There are controversies regarding adverse effects and safety of epidural analgesia. This study was conducted to study the immediate effects of the maternal epidural analgesia on the neonate during early neonatal phase.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study of 100 neonates born to mothers administered epidural analgesia were compared with 100 neonates born to mothers not administered epidural analgesia in terms of passage of urine, initiation of breast feeding, birth asphyxia and incidence of instrumentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant difference among the two groups in the passage of urine (P value 0.002) and incidence of instrumentation (P value 0.010) but there was no significant difference in regards to initiation of breast feeding and birth asphyxia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidural analgesia does not have any effect on the newborns in regards to breast feeding and birth asphyxia but did have effects like delayed passage of urine and increased incidence of instrumentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences, Shree Birendra Hospital, Swayambhu, Chhauni, Kathmandu, 44620, Nepal. kalmaan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Bikash
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, 411040, India. anuamit35@rediffmail.com.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Devgan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, 411040, India. akms@vsnl.com.
authors.forename: Mukti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult