Epidural Anesthesia for Labor and Birth - Medications for Labor

By Robin Elise Weiss, LCCE, About.com Guide

The complications that are most common with an epidural are things like a drop in mom's blood pressure (maternal hypotension) which can lead to fetal distress if not treated, this is usually quickly treated by medications and position changes. Other complications can include:

• fetal distress
• fetal malpositioning
• increase in the cesarean rate
• increase in the use of forceps and vacuum
• maternal fever

These are relatively common with epidurals, but corrections require various procedures. Paralysis, numbness, nerve injury, accidental spinal and infection for mom are really rare but do occur.

Previous

• Making the Decision to Have an Epidural
• Preparing for the Epidural
• The Epidural Procedure
• What You Will Feel with an Epidural
• Labor with an Epidural
• What to do if the epidural doesn't work.
• Epidural Risks
• Epidural Recovery

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