Will painless childbirth prolong labor?

The process of giving birth is very painful for pregnant women, so many pregnant women do not want to endure this pain and choose different methods of delivery. However, many people do not understand painless delivery. Most people think that painless delivery may prolong the delivery process. This will not only fail to reduce the pain, but will increase the pain for pregnant women, which will have a counterproductive effect. So does painless childbirth really prolong labor?

Will painless childbirth prolong labor?

Research has found that painless childbirth can actually significantly prolong labor time. Women who had an epidural took two hours longer to give birth than those who did not have any other method of pain relief.

About half of the women received an epidural, while the other half did not. The results showed that 95% of first-time mothers who did not use epidurals would push their babies out of the birth canal within 3 hours and 20 minutes. In contrast, for women who had an epidural, most labors took around 5 hours and 40 minutes. For women who have given birth to one child, if they did not use painless delivery, they would give birth to the child smoothly within 1 hour and 20 minutes. For multiparous women undergoing painless delivery, this time takes 4 hours and 15 minutes. Overall, the researchers found that mothers who had an epidural spent two hours longer in the second stage of labor.

The second stage of labor, also known as the delivery period, lasts from the full dilation of the cervix to the delivery of the fetus. It takes about 1-2 hours for a first-time mother, less than 1 hour for an experienced mother, and sometimes only a few minutes. In the UK, if a primipara has not given birth for more than 2 hours or a multipara has not given birth for more than 1 hour, the doctor will consider intervention and change to a caesarean section.

Although painless childbirth is good, it is not suitable for everyone. Expectant mothers who have contraindications to vaginal delivery or anesthesia should not use this method. If there is abnormal coagulation function, this method should never be used. Expectant mothers who have complications of heart disease, drug allergies, or a history of lumbar trauma during pregnancy should consult a doctor, who will decide whether they can have an painless delivery.

Precautions for painless delivery

1. You still need to push hard after painless delivery

The analgesics currently used are a type of "sensory and motor separation" nerve blocking drug that selectively blocks the transmission of pain in parturient women while leaving motor nerves unaffected. During labor, the mother was fully mobile, and abdominal and uterine contractions remained normal. On the contrary, after the pain of the parturient is relieved, her mind is completely relaxed and her body no longer rolls and twists, which is conducive to the parturient to push under the guidance of the doctor, making it easier for the cervix to open, thus accelerating the progress of labor.

2. There will be slight discomfort during spinal puncture and catheterization

The puncture and catheterization are performed under local anesthesia, and the mother only feels slight discomfort, which is not comparable to the labor pain during uterine contraction.

3. The delivery method during painless delivery may be changed to cesarean section

Whether a natural delivery is changed to a cesarean section has no necessary connection with whether an painless delivery is performed. It depends on obstetric factors such as whether the fetal head and pelvis are proportional, whether there is an abnormal fetal position, the umbilical cord around the neck, and fetal intrauterine distress. Some factors can only gradually appear during the delivery process. If a cesarean section is needed during the delivery analgesia process, the mother can enter the operating room for the operation in time. If the delivery analgesia is effective, administering the drug through the catheter can avoid the process of another spinal puncture and save preparation time before the operation.