The effect of epidural analgesia on the progress and outcome of induced labour

Summary

A study of the effect of an epidural block in 50 per cent of 580 induced primigravid and 32 per cent of 645 induced multigravid labours did not reveal any change in first stage progress of cervical dilatation. There was an increased duration of the second stage, a decreased incidence of normal vaginal delivery and a considerable increase in the proportion of patients requiring Kielland's forceps rotation in both primigravid and parous patients. In spite of this, the neonatal condition was better in the group of patients having the epidural block. The caesarean section rate in this series of low-risk patients in whom labour was induced was significantly higher than that found in patients having spontaneous onset of labour.