Epidurals: Risks & Side Effects

Maternal Risks

• Hypotension (Drop in blood pressure)
• Urinary Retention and Postpartum Bladder Dysfunction
• Uncontrollable Shivering
• Itching of the face, neck and throat
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Postpartum Backache
• Maternal Fever
• Spinal Headache
• Uneven, incomplete or nonexistent pain relief
• Feelings of Emotional detachment
• Postpartum feelings of regret or loss of autonomy
• Inability to move about freely on your own
• Loss of perineal sensation and sexual function
• Very Serious and rare risks

· Convulsions

· Respitory paralysis

· Cardiac arrest

· Allergic shock

· Nerve injury

· Epidural abscess

· Maternal death

Labor Side Effects

• Prolonged First Stage of Labor
• Increase of malpresentation of baby's head
• Increased need for Pitocin augmentation
• Prolonged Second Stage of Labor
• Decrease in the ability to push effectively
• Increased liklihood of forceps or vacuum extraction delivery
• Increased likelihood of needing an episiotomy
• Increase in cesarean section

Baby Side Effects

• Fetal distress; abnormal fetal heart rate
• Drowsiness at birth; poor sucking reflex
• Poor muscle strength and tone in the first hours.