Epidural anesthesia is a method of pain relief that is often used in childbirth. However, there are many myths circulating around this drug, so some women so scared to live it. Let's explore what these myths are and the true facts about epidural anesthesia.
An epidural anesthetic is injected into the lower back nerve. This anesthetic will numb the area around the injection and half of the body (from the belly button to the feet) during delivery.
However, this epidural anesthetic is different from general anesthesia because it does not use drugs that make the patient fall asleep. When using epidural anesthesia, the mother will be dispelled from pain, but remain conscious during the delivery process.
Epidural Anesthesia Myths and Facts
Here are some myths about epidural injections and the facts:
1. The myth that epidural injections can harm babies
Myth says that epidural anesthesia can cause the fetus to experience cerebral palsy or cerebral palsy.
Facts:
Everything that enters your body will affect the fetus, including epidural anesthesia. However, you do not need to worry, because the dose of anesthetic that reaches the fetus is very small, so it does not endanger his health.
In addition, this myth has not been proven true. Various studies so far have shown that there is no link between the risk of the baby getting cerebral palsy with the use of epidural anesthesia during maternal labor.
2. The myth that epidural anesthesia can cause permanent back pain
Epidural injections are said to cause chronic back pain after childbirth.
Facts:
Yes, epidural injections do cause back pain, especially when the needle is inserted into the back and the epidural catheter is placed. However, the effect is not permanent, how come!
The pain is a normal reaction like when getting injections of drugs in general. Once the anesthetic is put in and starts to work, the pain will go away, even during labor.
However, if you experience bothersome symptoms, such as severe back pain, difficulty holding your pee or bowel movements, and difficulty walking, after giving birth or during an epidural, consult your doctor immediately.
3. The myth that epidural injections can hinder labor and increase the risk of cesarean section
One of the most widely circulated myths about epidural anesthesia is that it can delay labor and increase the risk of needing a caesarean section. Some information circulating also says you will experience numbness after the anesthetic is given, making it difficult for you to push the fetus out.
Facts:
There is not enough evidence to suggest that epidural anesthesia can delay labor or increase the risk of cesarean section.
Caesarean section is only done if there are complications during pregnancy or delivery that make the delivery process unsafe to do normally. Some of these complications, for example the size of the fetus is too large, labor is too long, or there is fetal distress.
You also don't need to worry because the impact of an epidural injection is not as bad as imagined, how come. The epidural procedure actually helps you to relax more because you don't feel pain, so you are better prepared for the next stage of labor.
In addition, low-dose epidural injections only numb the leg, but you can still push the fetus out. If you are not strong enough to push, the doctor will help deliver the baby with assistive devices, such as forceps or a vacuum.
4. The myth of epidural anesthesia has many dangerous side effects
The myth says that epidural injections can cause various side effects that are harmful to both mother and baby, so they should be avoided. One such myth is that epidural anesthesia is said to cause permanent numbness.
Facts:
This information is inaccurate because when administered correctly and at the right dose, epidural anesthesia is generally safe and effective for the management of labor pain. Like other medical procedures, epidural anesthesia also has some side effects, such as:
- Nauseous vomit
- Headache
- It's hard to hold pee
- Itchy rash
- Blood pressure drop
- Fever and chills
However, these side effects generally disappear after the use of epidural anesthesia is stopped and the catheter is removed from the spinal cavity. When the drug no longer works, these side effects will go away on their own.
In certain cases, more severe side effects can occur, such as seizures and drug allergies. However, these side effects are very rare.
Moreover, these side effects do not always occur in every mother who undergoes labor under epidural anesthesia. This only happens to a handful of mothers giving birth.
5. The myth that epidural anesthesia is always effective in reducing pain during labor
That said, epidural anesthesia is always effective for relieving or relieving pain during labor.
Facts:
This procedure is considered to be the most popular method of pain relief compared to other procedures. Even so, there are some women who only feel numbness in certain parts of the stomach, so they don't get the benefits of this method.
Epidural anesthesia also may not work well when the doctor has difficulty finding the epidural space in the spine to be injected or the anesthetic does not reach the nerves, making it ineffective at reducing pain. If you experience this condition, the doctor will repeat the procedure or recommend another method of pain relief.
6. The myth that all mothers can get an epidural injection
According to the myth circulating, the epidural anesthesia procedure can be performed on all women who want to give birth.
Facts:
Most women can get an epidural during delivery. However, there are cases where this procedure is not possible.
If you have a history of allergies to anesthetics, blood clotting disorders, have back problems, have an infection, have diabetes, or are taking certain medications, such as blood thinners, then you are not recommended to undergo this procedure.
In order for the delivery process to go as expected, you are advised to consult with your obstetrician to prepare the things you need before and during the delivery process.
If you want to give birth without pain by trying epidural anesthesia, don't hesitate to ask about the benefits and side effects of the epidural injection that will be done.