COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN EPIDURAL BUPIVACAINE FENTANYL VERSUS I.V. MEPERIDINE ON THE PROGRESS OF LABOUR

Abstract

Regional analgesia in obstetrics is an art based on science, i.e. as the control of pain should form on integral part in the management of labour. Epidural blockade has been established as the most effective and comprehensive method of providing pain reliefduring labour as it is very safe for both the mother and the fetus. Epidural narcotics, particularly lipid soluble fentanyl, is often added to lower the concentration of local anaesthetics in order to reduce its therapeutic doses in an attempt to minimize their side effects and to give short latency period, a longer duration of activity and production of excellent to complete analgesia with minimal or no side effects. Pethidine became the most commonly used and widely investigated systemic opioid in labour, as it was promoted for its analgesic and spasmolytic properties. It is widely used in labour inspite of its lack of efficacy and its side effect on both the mother and the fetus. It provided inadequate analgesia as it is a poor analgesic and it makes the mother feel more sleepy.