Pharmacological pain relief - your options

Verified by

Sara Dellner

Midwife

You may also be interested in

  • 8 tips for getting into labour

    In the final stages of pregnancy, it can feel like time is moving at a snail's pace and the longing for baby is immense. So it's perhaps not surprising that there are a plethora of housewife tricks to get you into labour (even though...
  • Seven signs that birth is near

    The third trimester is tough in many ways, not least when it comes to patience. The uncertainty of when you will meet the little guy is very challenging! The truth is that we don't know why childbirth starts or exactly when,...
  • Getting your child to sleep in their own bed

    How do you get your baby to fall asleep, not wake up at night and when is it time for your baby to sleep in their own bed? Baby Journey tells you how to get your baby to sleep in their own bed! There are different...
  • Guide: how to take out pregnancy insurance

    Sponsored by Länsförsäkringar Taking out pregnancy insurance is something all pregnant women should do! And preferably as early as possible in the pregnancy as it must be taken out in order to be entitled to compensation if something unpredictable happens. Insurance can...
  • Sex life after childbirth

    Many pregnant women wonder when it is okay to have sex after giving birth. For some, it happens quickly and for others it takes longer. Having a baby is a big adjustment, and it is not at all uncommon for...
  • Exercising after childbirth: trimester four

    When you decide to start exercising after giving birth is entirely up to you. Recovery after pregnancy and childbirth is highly individual! Before you take the step to start activating your body again, it can be good to define what is meant...
  • Everything you need to know about buckwheat

    Are you ready to give birth? A bucket sweep is a way to help your body speed up the start of your labor - in a completely natural way! Is it really possible, you might ask? It is, but you will need to...
  • What is pelvic pain? - All about pelvic pain

    Pelvic pain during pregnancy is a common occurrence. When healthcare professionals talk about pelvic pain, they refer to it as pelvic pain or pelvic floor pain. So, what does laminitis feel like? When you're pregnant, your body's joints become more mobile, which is...
  • Pelvic floor exercise for pregnant women - Good exercises

    Have you experienced pelvic pain during your pregnancy? Pelvic pain is common but can be very painful and prevent you from living a normal life. However, there are exercises and pelvic floor exercises that can help relieve your pelvic pain during pregnancy...
  • High blood pressure = Hypertension

    During pregnancy, there is a risk of high blood pressure and organ damage, known as pre-eclampsia. In this article, we review and describe what preeclampsia is. High blood pressure (hypertension) during pregnancy occurs in Sweden in about eight...

    Pharmacological pain relief - your options

    Verified by

    Sara Dellner

    Midwife

    Pain relief is one of the major topics of conversation when it comes to childbirth. In this article, we will look at pharmacological pain relief and the different options available.

    There are two different ways to go when it comes to pain relief during childbirth. Either you choose natural options, known as non-pharmacological pain relief, or you choose pharmacological pain relief - i.e. medicines. If you choose medicines, there are several different options that will numb the pain.

    The options for pharmacological pain relief

    -Nitrous oxide - Nitrous oxide has been used since the 1790s and was originally used as a party drug. More than 100 years later, it was used in obstetrics. Nitrous oxide can be adjusted in concentration together with oxygen. Approximately 14% of all births can be managed with nitrous oxide alone, and many find it satisfying to be able to control it themselves. Remember that there is no prestige in what type of pain relief, or how much pain relief, you choose to take.

    - Epidural (EDA) - Epidural or spinal anesthesia is placed in what is called the epidural space. The anesthetic is not injected directly into the spinal cord as one might think, but the epidural space is outside the spinal canal.

    Sometimes the anesthesiologist wants to administer the anesthetic while you are sitting on the edge of the bed or lying on your side, arching your back like an angry cat. Then the doctor first numbs the skin before inserting a thin plastic catheter into which anesthetic drugs are injected (the needle is removed, you have no needle left in your back). Either the anesthetic continues to be administered via a pump that the birthing mother can control herself (don't worry, there is a maximum dose, you can't press the button as many times as you like), a pump that delivers a continuous dose of pain relief medication, or the midwife adds the pain relief via repeated injections when the birthing mother wishes. The choice of administration method depends on local practice.

    Disadvantages of EDA include itching (occurs with 50-80%) and a drop in blood pressure (compensated for by copious fluid intake or, for example, via an IV). If you have preeclampsia (which causes high blood pressure), EDA can have positive side effects. Researchers are still discussing the relationship between EDA and possible negative effects on the course of labor, the ability to push and the risk of instrumental delivery. After delivery, the thin plastic tube is removed.

    - Spinal - Injection is given in the spinal space, i.e. inside the epidural space, and gives an analgesic effect in about 1-4 hours. This form of anesthesia gives a faster effect, but also disappears faster. It is therefore suggested to be beneficial for a birth that is expected to be quick (more so for pre-term mothers).

    - PCB (Paracervical block) - Local injection of anesthesia is placed in the cervix and blocks nerves that send pain signals to the brain. The effect of a properly placed PCB is comparable to that of a spinal anesthetic. The PCB does not provide pain relief in the vagina, pelvic floor or rectum, therefore it can be combined with a PDB in the expulsion (pushing) phase.

    - PDB (Pudendal blockade) - Also called pelvic floor anesthesia. Local anesthetic is injected at the pudendal nerves, which are located near the spider veins (where the pelvis is most narrow). The midwife or doctor feels the location of the spinal nerves and then injects a local anesthetic to block the nerves that send pain signals to the brain. An external PDB can also be used, where the injection is given outside the vagina, but is intended to hit the same spot. This anesthetic numbs the vulva, perineum and lower third of the vagina.

    - General anesthesia (sedation) - Sometimes done during a caesarean section in consultation between the anaesthetist and the obstetrician. This means that you will be asleep during your caesarean section.

    Read about non-pharmacological pain relief here!

    baby-journey app

    You may also be interested in

    • 8 tips for getting into labour

      In the final stages of pregnancy, it can feel like time is moving at a snail's pace and the longing for baby is immense. So it's perhaps not surprising that there are a plethora of housewife tricks to get you into labour (even though...
    • Seven signs that birth is near

      The third trimester is tough in many ways, not least when it comes to patience. The uncertainty of when you will meet the little guy is very challenging! The truth is that we don't know why childbirth starts or exactly when,...
    • Getting your child to sleep in their own bed

      How do you get your baby to fall asleep, not wake up at night and when is it time for your baby to sleep in their own bed? Baby Journey tells you how to get your baby to sleep in their own bed! There are different...
    • Guide: how to take out pregnancy insurance

      Sponsored by Länsförsäkringar Taking out pregnancy insurance is something all pregnant women should do! And preferably as early as possible in the pregnancy as it must be taken out in order to be entitled to compensation if something unpredictable happens. Insurance can...
    • Sex life after childbirth

      Many pregnant women wonder when it is okay to have sex after giving birth. For some, it happens quickly and for others it takes longer. Having a baby is a big adjustment, and it is not at all uncommon for...
    • Exercising after childbirth: trimester four

      When you decide to start exercising after giving birth is entirely up to you. Recovery after pregnancy and childbirth is highly individual! Before you take the step to start activating your body again, it can be good to define what is meant...
    • Everything you need to know about buckwheat

      Are you ready to give birth? A bucket sweep is a way to help your body speed up the start of your labor - in a completely natural way! Is it really possible, you might ask? It is, but you will need to...
    • What is pelvic pain? - All about pelvic pain

      Pelvic pain during pregnancy is a common occurrence. When healthcare professionals talk about pelvic pain, they refer to it as pelvic pain or pelvic floor pain. So, what does laminitis feel like? When you're pregnant, your body's joints become more mobile, which is...
    • Pelvic floor exercise for pregnant women - Good exercises

      Have you experienced pelvic pain during your pregnancy? Pelvic pain is common but can be very painful and prevent you from living a normal life. However, there are exercises and pelvic floor exercises that can help relieve your pelvic pain during pregnancy...
    • High blood pressure = Hypertension

      During pregnancy, there is a risk of high blood pressure and organ damage, known as pre-eclampsia. In this article, we review and describe what preeclampsia is. High blood pressure (hypertension) during pregnancy occurs in Sweden in about eight...

      Artillerigatan 16

      114 52 Stockholm

      Baby Journey

      Terms

      Download our app!

      download in the appstore

      Copyright © Baby Journey

      Copyright © Baby Journey

      Mobile footer