Pain relief for childbirth

Hello! I present to your attention an article on the topic “Pain Management in Childbirth”:

There are two types of pain during childbirth, each of which requires specific treatments.

The first type is relatively rare, occurs during a pathological course of labor and requires actual medical intervention. This is true pain, and pain relief in such a situation is necessary.

The second type is quite ordinary, arising from fear, in which the chain of fear -> tension -> pain bears almost all responsibility for the discomfort of normal childbirth. Women who are well prepared for childbirth not only physically, but also psychologically, rarely require anesthesia (pain relief) and very often refuse it themselves, realizing that anesthesia can have a certain effect on the baby.

Since 1847, when ether was first used to relieve pain in childbirth, pain relief methods have been continuously developed and improved. Currently, all existing methods of pain relief during childbirth are divided into two groups:

1. Non-drug methods: psychoprophylactic preparation of pregnant women for childbirth, hypnosis, acupuncture, electroanalgesia.

2. Methods of pharmacological action.

Of the non-drug methods, electroanalgesia has been the most studied. Research has shown the fundamental possibility of achieving analgesia and the absence of negative effects on the body of the mother and fetus. Recently, electroanalgesia in its pure drug-free form is rarely used.

The use of drugs involves the use of anesthetics, analgesics and their combination with sedatives. Recently, the arsenal of funds has grown significantly.

When choosing painkillers, an individual approach is important. Pain management requires careful monitoring of the condition of the mother and fetus. All drugs cross the placenta, affecting the condition of the fetus.

The main narcotic analgesic is promedol. It depresses the respiratory center less, has fewer side effects, but has a less pronounced analgesic effect.

The method of epidural anesthesia is fraught with complications, but it blocks pain impulses without entering the bloodstream and not being transmitted to the child.

Thus, the choice of pain relief method depends on the specific situation and should be assessed by a doctor individually for each woman in labor. The main thing is to provide effective pain relief with minimal risk to mother and child.