Pregnancy And Baby Care Articles During Pregnancy

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In today's world, it is possible for women to go through labor, with pain that is relatively less, by planning some strategies that can help cope with the pain. One of the most important things to do is to alleviate your anxiety about the pain. In addition to that, there are several types of medication that can ease the pain during delivery.


Spinal and epidural blocks have been used more commonly for pain relief during labor, but there are other options too. Given below are some measures that can be used for labor pain relief:

• Spinal block: This is a regional anesthesia that is used around two hours before labor or shortly before a C-section. The medication is directly injected in the lower back, into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord. This usually has a quick effect.
• Epidural block: This is a regional anesthetic, which is used during labor or just before a C-Section is performed. The medication is administrated through an injection into the lower back, outside the bag of fluid that surrounds the spinal cord. Administering the epidural takes about 20 minutes and it takes another 20 minutes for the medicine to take effect.
• Pudendal block: This is used just before delivery, for relief from the pain between the anus and the vagina. A local anesthesia is administered through an injection, into the vaginal wall and this usually takes effect in seconds.
• Narcotics: These reduce the perception of pain for anywhere between 2 to 6 hours and can therefore be used for pain relief during labor. Narcotics are injected into the buttock or thigh or can even be given through an intravenous catheter (which can control the dosage of the medicine). Narcotics usually bring relief in a few minutes.
• Tranquilizers: In some rare cases, tranquilizers can be given to promote rest and alleviate anxiety during labor. They can be administered orally, injected into the buttock or thigh or through an intravenous catheter. They do not really provide any pain relief during labor, but help in relaxation and anxiety relief. They usually work within minutes.

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