heidi
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Joined: 16 Dec 2005
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 Posted: 09/29/06 - 18:59 Post subject: |
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What you should do is talk to your doctor about your case individually and see if you are at any risk of suffering epidural side effects. Epidurals can be helpful in certain situations but it could also harm the baby and the mother and impair labor.
Some of the side effects a mother could experience are drop in blood pressure, shivering, nausea, vomiting, headache, itching, incomplete pain relief, emotional detachment, loss of perianal sensation, problems with sexual functioning, feelings of regret, etc. There are also more serious side effects that are not so common. These are cardiac arrest, allergic shock, convulsions, respiratory paralyses, etc
Side effects a baby could occur include lack of muscle strength during the first hours of birth, drowsiness during birth, abnormal heart rate and sucking problems.
Labor can be also impaired cue to epidural use. Epidurals can prolong first or second stage of delivery, impair mothers ability to push, lead to cesarean section and need of episiotomy and others.
Like I said, discussing your individual situation with your doctor should help you decide whether to have epidural or not. |
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