Patient-Controlled Epidural Anesthesia – New Findings Emerge

Epidurals are a hot-button issue for many expecting moms. But while the choice has always been between a drug-free delivery and a pain-managed delivery, a new study on patient-controlled epidural anesthesia may give women a third option that falls somewhere in the middle.

The study, conducted by California perinatologist Dr. Michael Haydon (among others), included 270 first-time mothers, divided into three categories: those who were given continuous infusion epidurals, those who were able to control their epidurals on their own, and those who had both options.

Of the three, the group using only patient-controlled anesthesia used the least medication, a full 30% less than the group on a continuous dose (with the group with both options falling in the middle). This may be due to the fact that anesthesiologists will err on the side of caution and administer slightly higher levels of medication in a continuous dose epidural, to ensure pain is minimized as much as possible.

According to Dr. Haydon, a move toward patient-controlled anesthesia could be beneficial in speeding up delivery times, as he believes epidurals tend to slow down the labor process. Another potential benefit, identified by a trend that emerged in the study, is a decrease in instrument-assisted births – epidurals can cause difficulty pushing during labor, which can lead to a need for tools like forceps to safely deliver the baby.

For moms-to-be, the greatest benefit of managing their own medication during delivery may be the sense of control it provides over the birthing process. This new option presents a viable middle-ground between a natural delivery and an epidural that could put many women’s minds at ease.