What is painless childbirth? What is painless childbirth?

Many female friends are still very afraid of giving birth. After all, the pain during childbirth is very intense. Many people are afraid of giving birth. Painless childbirth is now a very popular method of childbirth.

Painless childbirth is what people often call "labor analgesia" in medicine, which is to use various medical measures to reduce or even eliminate labor pain. This method of childbirth can relieve the mother from the severe pain, not only reduce the fear of childbirth and postpartum fatigue, but also allow the mother to get enough rest in the first stage of labor, and store up the strength for the subsequent delivery of the fetus.

Many people do not know much about painless childbirth and think that it means giving birth while lying down. In fact, the implementation of painless childbirth does not allow all pregnant women to give birth while lying down without knowing it. Generally speaking, painless childbirth can reduce about 70% of the pain of childbirth, which is already very ideal. Painless childbirth can be simply divided into two categories: drug and non-drug.

Medical painless childbirth: It is the use of anesthetics or analgesics to achieve analgesic effects. From the method or route of using drugs, drug analgesia can be roughly divided into three types: intramuscular injection, intravenous injection, and nerve block. Among them, nerve block is the most mature and effective analgesic method currently being used at home and abroad. This is the so-called "painless childbirth." The method of nerve block is to inject the medicine into the lumbar spine and inject it into the bone gap of the lumbar spine. To inject in the bone gap of the lumbar spine, a thin tube must be inserted. This is to add analgesics at any time when the labor pain increases to the point of affecting rest. Of course, the anesthesiologist will ensure that the dosage and time of medication can safely ensure the health of the baby in the belly. It needs to be completed by an anesthesiologist who has mastered specialized nerve block technology. The action of adding medicine can also be done by pregnant women themselves, which allows them to experience the joy of childbirth more deeply.

Non-drug painless childbirth: It is to reduce labor pain through prenatal training, guiding breathing during uterine contractions, etc. Lamaze breathing method means that pregnant women need to breathe slowly and evenly, deep and deep, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, like blowing up a balloon. You know, the baby's oxygen supply comes from this correct breathing. In terms of effect, it is not as good as drug analgesia.

1. Does drug-induced labor analgesia affect the birth process?

In fact, after analgesia, the delivery time of most women is shortened: the perineum is relaxed, they have rested well, they can eat what they want, they have the strength to push when they need to, and they can coordinate with the midwife. It is hard not to be fast! However, for some people, after the cervix is ​​fully dilated, they may not be able to cooperate with the uterine contractions because the pain is suppressed, so this time will be slightly longer, but it will not affect the safety of the fetus.

2. Is medical labor analgesia suitable for all pregnant women?

Some pregnant women are not suitable for epidural labor analgesia due to their own reasons, such as spinal problems, unsatisfactory blood coagulation indicators, and potential sources of infection.

3. Can medical labor analgesia completely eliminate pain?

All you need to do is adjust the medication regimen, monitor your baby and you accordingly, and have an anesthesiologist on call. Li Yinhe, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said: Whether a woman is in pain during childbirth reflects the level of civilization of a society. Relieving the pain of mothers is a respect for individual life and also reflects a kind of childbearing civilization. I hope we can all give birth with dignity.

Painless childbirth is widely used abroad. It is a mature technology that is simple, convenient and safe. At present, clinically, painless childbirth is divided into two types: pharmacological and non-pharmaceutical. The former is to achieve the "painless" effect through anesthetics or analgesics, which is what we call painless childbirth in daily life. The latter is generally implemented before delivery, mainly by practicing breathing during uterine contractions to relieve labor pain, and also includes external therapies such as traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture or massage of painful areas. The following specifically introduces the advantages and disadvantages of two common pharmacological painless childbirths:

Intraspinal analgesia

This method is currently the most respected analgesic method for childbirth in the global medical community, with an efficiency of up to 95%. There are generally two methods, epidural anesthesia and combined spinal-epidural anesthesia. Both require a catheter to be inserted into the mother's lumbar spine, and the anesthetic will be injected into the body through the small catheter. An analgesic pump is provided after the operation.

advantage:

1. It takes effect quickly and is very effective in relieving labor pains. It is very suitable for women who are extremely afraid of labor pains.

2. The mother can still stay conscious, eat and drink normally, actively cooperate with the entire process of delivery, and can control the pain pump herself.

3. It will not hinder daily activities, and the mother can still get out of bed and walk after the operation.

4. The drug administration method (PCEA technology) is becoming increasingly mature, and the drug used (ropivacaine) is highly safe. It not only improves the analgesic effect, but also has basically no effect on the health of mother and baby and the progress of labor.

5. It also has an analgesic effect on the surgery itself and the wound caused by episiotomy afterwards.

shortcoming:

1. The technique requirements are high and it needs to be performed by an anesthesiologist with professional anesthesia skills.

2. The operation itself is somewhat traumatic and there are safety risks in the operation. Therefore, the doctor will clearly inform the mother or her family of the possible dangers and complications of the operation in advance, and the operation will only be performed after they sign their consent.

3. If there is infection at the puncture site or throughout the body, or if there is abnormal coagulation function and increased intracranial pressure, this method is prohibited.

Laughing gas inhalation

Originated in the UK in 1847, Queen Victoria first used it during childbirth, and it was widely used before that. The specific operation is that when the mother feels that the contraction is about to come, she puts the mask close to her mouth and nose and takes a few deep breaths. When the pain disappears, she takes off the mask. It is usually used during the interval between contractions.

advantage:

1. It can significantly relax the mother's body, help the expansion of the uterine opening, and effectively shorten the delivery process.

2. The main component of nitrous oxide is oxygen, which contains 50% oxygen and can increase the blood oxygen concentration of mother and baby.

3. The possible complications are very few and it is suitable for a wide range of people.

4. The operation is simple, just like oxygen inhalation, the mother can do it by herself.

5. It is non-traumatic and has good effects. About 75% of mothers believe that it has analgesic effects.

6. Laughing gas is colorless, slightly sweet, non-irritating, and has a fast onset and metabolism. Its effects will disappear after a few seconds if you stop inhaling it.

7. It can help mothers to rest between contractions while still maintaining clear consciousness and actively cooperating with medical staff.

shortcoming:

1. It cannot be used to relieve pain in perineal wounds.

2. The analgesic effect varies from person to person, and some people may experience mild dizziness, nausea, and other discomforts.

3. The time of inhalation is not easy to grasp, because it takes 30 to 40 seconds from inhalation to the actual analgesic effect, so it will only be effective if inhaled 30 seconds before the onset of contractions, otherwise it will have no effect.