Understanding Medicines for Labor Pain

As you prepare to bring a new life into the world, you may be worrying about how you can manage pain during labor. Some people hope to have a medicine-free birth. Others hope for the best, but plan for every possibility. Learning about your medicine options and discussing them with your healthcare provider can help you feel more at ease as you get closer to your due date.

Everyone feels pain differently. Only you can decide how much you think you can tolerate. Pain during labor depends on many things. This includes the size of the baby, the position of the baby, the strength of your contractions, and the timing and stage of labor.

Medicines for labor pain are broadly categorized as analgesics and anesthetics.

Anesthetics. These block all feeling and pain.

• Epidural. This is when anesthetic is injected into the lower part of spinal cord to block pain signals belly button and below. You remain awake.
• Local anesthesia (pudenal block). Similar to an epidural, this medicine causes the lower part of the body to feel numb. Medicine is injected into the nerves in the vagina, vulva, and perineum. You remain awake.
• General. This causes you to go to sleep. You won’t feel any pain.

Analgesics. These lessen pain but don’t stop it completely.

• Opioids (and non-opioids) such as morphine. These lessen pain in the whole body (systemic). Given by a shot or through an IV. You remain awake. Patient controlled analgesia is an option.
• Nitrous oxide. This gas is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a mask. While nitrous does not numb pain, it eases anxiety. Also known as “laughing gas.” You remain awake.

Risks of procedure

Birth parent

• Headache
• Lower blood pressure
• Nausea and vomiting
• Itching
• Slowed breathing
• Slowed movement of the gastrointestinal system
• Drowsiness

Effects on baby

• Sleepiness
• Slowed breathing
• Trouble breastfeeding
• Changes in body temperature
• Changes in neurological behavior