DOES EPIDURAL INCREASE THE INCIDENCE OF CESAREAN DELIVERY OR INSTRUMENTAL LABOR IN SAUDI POPULATIONS?

Background: This is a retrospective review of the medical records of 861 patients admitted for vaginal delivery. Patients were randomized to either epidural analgesia or other analgesic methods of pain relief for labor pains. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of epidural analgesia on the rate of cesarean section delivery. Methods: 861 patients were admitted to Saad Specialist Hospital for vaginal delivery between May 1, to September 30, 2006. Patients were divided into Nulliparous (334 patients) and Multiparous (527 patients) populations. Each population was then divided into two groups, epidural and non-epidural group. Epidural analgesia was initiated by a bolus of bupivacaine 0.25% (6 to 10 ml) plus fentanyl (50 to 100 μg), followed by bupivacaine 0.125% plus fentanyl (1 to 2 μg/ml) at the rate of (6 to 12 ml/h). Non-epidural analgesia was initiated by one or mixture of I.M meperidine 50 to 100 mg I.M, promethazine hydrochloride 25 mg, orOntonox inhalers. Results: In the Nulliparous population a total of 57 patients requested epidural (the epidural gp), while 277 patients received other analgesic methods (the non-epidural gp). There was no difference in the rate of cesarean section deliveries between the two analgesia groups (12 patients of 57 in the epidural group (21.1%), versus 61 patients of 277 (22%) in the non-epidural gp). Conclusion: Epidural analgesia is an effective method of pain relief during labor compared to the other analgesic methods of labor pain relief, and it does not increase the incidence of cesarean section deliveries.