New data just came out talking about how often epidurals are used in labor and when. The numbers might surprise you: only 61% of moms used epidural anesthesia for labor in these 27 states. Here are some of the highlights of this data:
- Only 30% of moms had an epidural when labor was fast. This doesn't say if the drastically lower number is preference or just how it worked out, which is one of the reasons I recommend a childbirth class, even if you're planning for an epidural.
- Education did influence epidural use. You were more likely to have an epidural if you had a master's or doctoral degree.
- The younger you were the more likely you were to have an epidural. Mothers over 40 had the lowest epidural rate.
Many of the moms I talked to about this today were really surprised at how low the numbers actually were, stating that they assumed it was closer to 99%. Were you surprised?
Related:
- Epidural Quiz
- Choosing an Epidural
- The Best Epidural
- Epidural: Step-by-Step
- How does your partner feel about epidurals?
- What to Do When an Epidural Doesn't Work
- 7 Reasons You Can't Have an Epidural
- 10 Steps to Natural Childbirth
Source:
Osterman MJK, Martin JA. Epidural and spinal anesthesia use during labor: 27-state reporting area, 2008. National vital statistics reports; vol 59 no 5. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2011.
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It does conflict with reports I hear from moms all over the country who have asked docs and L&D personnel if women are give epidurals. Perhaps CPs just want moms to think that epidural use is that high? A woman with an epi is probably more ‘manageable.’
I’d expect the epidural rate to be significantly higher than the induction rate; which it is.
We natural birth advocates should be careful when mis(using) the stats. I will probably say that although the data suggests that 61% of moms have epidurals, that subjective reports suggest epi use is even higher.
I don’t think anyone is misusing the stats. I think what this says is that overall the epidural rate may be lower than we think it is and that there are pockets of super high rates and pockets of much lower rates. (We have hospitals with 50% and hospitals with 99% rates in one area.)
Though it is important to note that you can’t simply take 100 – 61 and say that there is a 39% rate of unmedicated birth, because that is not calculated in this study. The remaining 39% of the singleton vaginal births use nothing, IV meds, or “other.”