When is this anesthetic?
In order to understand what an epidural is at delivery and what it is used for, it is necessary to say about when this type of anesthesia is used and what it provides.
Typically, doctors calculate the concentration of the drug in such a way as to extend the analgesic effect exclusively to the period of contractions, which are most painful and are observed when the uterine neck is being opened. In this case, the period of labor and direct delivery is carried out without anesthesia, which makes it possible to better control labor.
Epiduralks are used not only for natural childbirth, but also for cesarean delivery .
What are the consequences and possible complications of epidural anesthesia?
Having understood what an epidural is, performed during childbirth, it is necessary to say about the consequences of this anesthesia. The main ones are:
- Penetration of the anesthetic into the bloodstream, which is possible as a result of damage to the veins in the epidural space. As a rule, at the same time a woman feels at once weakness, dizziness, nausea, unusual taste in her mouth. If these symptoms appear, tell the anesthesiologist.
- Allergic reactions are possible in cases where a woman has not previously experienced anesthesia. Therefore, before the administration of the drug, the minimum dose is administered the day before and the reaction of the organism is observed.
- Headache and back pain. As a rule, this phenomenon is short-lived, and lasts only 1-2 days.
- Decrease in blood pressure. This phenomenon is often observed after the puncture of the spinal cord. Therefore, medical personnel constantly monitor the level of pressure and, if necessary, adjust with drugs.
- Increased muscle tone of the bladder, as evidenced by the difficulty of urinating after anesthesia.