Analgesia for Labor and Delivery Using Inhalational Anesthetic Agents

Overview

Even though epidural analgesia is a preferred method of analgesia, this could be accomplished also with inhalational anesthetics, especially witha mixture of 50% oxygen and nitrous oxide. This method of analgesia is effective in protracted labor. This analgesia allows for economic lung ventilation,discards emotional part of fear with inadequate reaction to pain. This results in better coordination of the actions of uterus – all this favourably affectsthe course of labor and delivery. Higher concentrations of oxygen in inspired mixture of gases improves hemoglobin saturation in both the parturientand the fetus, with positive effects on ABG’s. In 1995, this method was used in 70% of labor and deliveries in Swedish hospitals. This method of analgesiafor labor and delivery is safe for both the parturient and the fetus, minimally affecting uterine movements, and economically modest.

Key words:
mixture of nitrous oxide with oxygen – oxygen hemoglobin saturation of the fetus