What is Painless Delivery and What are Its Advantages?

Childbirth pain can be intense. Sharp uterine contractions that occur during delivery can result in sharpshooting spasms that may be even debilitating. The severity may seem even more extreme during the first pregnancy. Thankfully, medical science has been able to devise methods to alleviate the intensity of this pain making childbirth a relatively enjoyable process.

So, what exactly is a painless delivery? How is it achieved? Let’s look at some of the facts for further clarity.

Pain Management During Delivery

Painless normal childbirth is achieved by using epidural anesthesia during labor. This is local anesthesia which can stop the pain in a specific area of the body by numbing. It is typically administered through an injection in the lower back, so that there is some respite from the sharp pangs that uterine contractions bring, as the baby travels down from the uterus, preparing to come out.

The process will begin by giving IV or intravenous fluids to the would-be mother. Once the fluids start, the doctor will ask the mother to arch her back and remain still. The anesthetic will be injected after wiping the area with antiseptic liquid. The right posture while administering the dose will enhance the effectiveness of the dose.

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Once the lower back region has been numbed, the surgeon will now inject a needle around the tail end of the spinal cord. He or she will thread a narrow catheter through the needle, penetrating the epidural area. The needle will be subsequently removed, and the catheter secured with tape. The surgeon will now use this catheter to inject the epidural anesthesia as the mother goes into labor.

The epidural will numb the pelvic region in a matter of minutes. As a result, the mother can now remain fully conscious and yet witness with baby’s birth without having to deal with a little or perhaps no pain.

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The Advantages of Epidural Anesthesia

Apart from the most obvious advantage of pain relief, epidural anesthesia helps in many more ways.

• It helps the mother cope better with tiredness and postpartum depression.
• As a result of effective pain management, the body copes with stress better.
• Switching to an instrument-based delivery like forceps, for instance, becomes easier since no additional anesthesia is required.
• The process lowers blood pressure. This is extremely helpful for hypertensive women. Blood pressure, when not controlled effectively, can spike tremendously during childbirth, resulting in a stroke in some cases.
• It helps patients suffering from pre-eclampsia and heart conditions.
• The doctor can seamlessly switch to cesarian delivery in case it is required.
• The duration of labor is reduced significantly.

Epidural birthing is a boon for women, with a low endurance level for pain, who conceive above the age of 30. It gives them a chance to opt for normal delivery by reducing pain, trauma, and associated stress.

Painless delivery can also result in some rare complications like leakage of spinal cord fluid, difficulty urinating, pain or soreness in the back, sudden drop in blood pressure for the mother, and even dizziness in some cases. It is important to choose the best gynecologist in Hyderabad with a specialization in epidural birthing to ensure safety.

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