CUTANEOUS STERILE WATER INJECTION VERSUS PETHIDINE INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION IN LABOUR PAIN RELIEF

Abstract

Labour pain has different locations, intensity, quality for each woman. During the first stage of labour many women suffer from severe back pain. To reduce this pain, a number of analgesic methods have been tried with varying success. • Intracutaneous sterile water injection was used as an effective method for pain relief during first stage of labour, it appears to be simple, and harmless technique. This technique is eas)' to learn and appears effective for relieving back pain which complicates about one third of all labours. Intramuscular administration of narcotics (pethidine) is used as an effective method for reducing labour pain, but this method has negative side effects such as maternal drowsiness, nausea and vomiting as well as neonatal respiratory depression. The current study observed 450 women divided into 3 groups. Group 1 (injected by intracutaneous sterile water), group 2 (injected by subcutaneous sterile water) and group 3 (injected intramuscularly by pethidine). Pain assessment was by visual analogue scale and verbal rating scale. Group 1 and 2 showed significant pain score reduction than group 3. It can be concluded that the cutaneous injections of sterile water is effective, simple and safe, during the first stage of labour, and can be used in small not well equipped obstetric units.