How does painless childbirth work?
Disease description:
My wife is pregnant, and we have recently been learning about knowledge related to childbirth. We heard about painless childbirth, but we are not quite clear exactly how it works. We would like to know whether painless childbirth can truly eliminate all pain. How does it work, and will it have any negative effects on the mother or the baby?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhang Lu
Childbirth without pain, medically referred to as labor analgesia, does not mean completely pain-free. Instead, it involves various methods to reduce the pain experienced during labor.
The most commonly used method currently is intrathecal labor analgesia. This technique involves inserting a fine catheter through a puncture made between the lumbar vertebrae of the mother. A small amount of local anesthetic and analgesic drugs are administered through the catheter to block the sensory nerve conduction from the uterus, thus reducing labor pain.
This method is generally safe for both the mother and the baby. The medication acts directly on the targeted area, with minimal amounts entering the mother's systemic circulation or crossing the placenta, resulting in virtually no effect on the baby. For the mother, it effectively relieves pain, lowers stress responses caused by pain, and reduces physical exhaustion.
Once the mother enters the delivery room and her cervix dilates to a certain extent, she may request labor analgesia. After evaluation by a physician, an anesthesiologist will perform the puncture and catheter placement. After administration of the medication, the mother will noticeably feel a reduction in pain but will still maintain uterine contractions and remain conscious, enabling her to push normally during delivery.
However, there are some minor risks associated with painless childbirth, such as hypotension, headache, and local infection. These complications, however, occur at a low rate, and physicians will closely monitor and manage them throughout the process.
