Understanding The Risks of Epidural Side Effects

Women undergoing labor are bound to experience a great deal of pain, they need epidural and hence the term Epidural Side Effects also comes into the discussion. This is why epidural pain relief is increasingly popular to ensure a pain-free labor experience. However, there are also certain risks involved with acquiring epidural side effects that make women think twice about their decision to undergo this procedure, especially when concerning the health of their unborn child. This is a growing concern too because of the large number of women who use epidural especially for those who are giving birth for the first time.

Women who undergo caesarean section upon giving birth to their child will also require the use of epidural as an alternative to general anesthetic. However, it is often unacceptable for many when used during normal vaginal birth procedure. Many women prefer taking epidurals though because of the relief it provides for women during the labor process, such that they can rest and relax immediately after the labor. Most of these women though are not aware of the epidural side effects and other risks to their own health and that of the baby.

Epidural Side Effects – The Drugs

There are certain drugs used in an epidural that is responsible for producing pain relief or elimination of any sensation in the area upon injection. Although it is injected in the mother’s spinal cord, there is a substantial amount of the drugs that could potentially mix into the bloodstream and enter the baby’s circulation as the drugs infiltrate the placenta. This explains why majority of the known epidural side effects are considered as “systemic” or those that are experienced in the entire body, not just one particular area of the body.

Epidural Side Effects – Most Common

Another one of the most common epidural side effects is the decrease in blood pressure of the mother. Statistics have shown that 1 out of 8 mothers who are injected with epidural suffer from this particular side effect in varying degrees. This is why a drip is needed in order to allow extra fluids to run through while avoiding complications in the process. The blood pressure rate of a mother is also significant because it will determine the amount of blood that is pumped into the placenta, which consequently determines how much oxygen the baby is getting.

In most cases too, epidural side effects will cause a woman’s labor to take longer than usual. This is why she will require an oxytocin drip in order to speed up the process of childbirth. This is especially noticeable during the second stage of labor. Women who are giving birth to their first child are the ones most likely to suffer from this kind of side effect and might affect their ability to have normal delivery in the future.

Other more notable epidural side effects that pregnant women are warned about include numbing of the bladder, inability to pass urine, nausea, vomiting, rise in body temperature, and an increase of the baby’s heart rate. The side effects can vary as well depending on the type of drugs used on the epidural upon injection on the mother while giving birth. It is important to be aware of these Epidural Side Effects to understand the risk involved during the childbirth process.