Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2012 Jun;18(2):126-134. 10.4069/kjwhn.2012.18.2.126.

Comparison of Obstetric Pain, Anxiety, and Cervical Dilatation between Epidural Analgesia and No Analgesia group during Labor Stage I

• Han SJ
• Kim JI
• Kim MJ

• KMID: 2308252
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2012.18.2.126

Abstract

PURPOSE
This research was done to compare obstetric pain, anxiety and cervical dilatation between an epidural analgesia group and a control group.
METHODS
Participants were assigned to the experimental or control group depending on their decisions for pain relief. Subjective / objective obstetric pain, anxiety level and cervical dilatation were measured and ANOVA was used for comparison of groups and paired t-test to make pre-post comparisons.
RESULTS
Homogeneity of pain, anxiety and cervical dilatation were assessed at the latent phase. Cervical dilatation was larger in the control group than the experimental group, at both the active and the transitional phase (F=22.9, p<.001; F=39.9, p<.001 respectively). The degree of pain and anxiety were not significantly different between the groups. Within the experimental group, subjective / objective pain and anxiety level were significantly lower postanalgesia compared to pre-analgesia in the active phase. All variables, except for sweating in the objective pain measurement, changed significantly at the transient phase.
CONCLUSION
The results of this evidence-based research indicate that epidural analgesia while effective in relieving pain and anxiety may have an adverse effect on the cervix during labor stage I. Epidural analgesia should be used carefully during cervical dilatation in labor stage I.

Keyword

Anxiety; Cervical dilatation; Epidural analgesia; Obstetric pain

MeSH Terms

Analgesia
Analgesia, Epidural
Anxiety
Cervix Uteri
Female
Labor Pain
Labor Stage, First
Pain Measurement
Pregnancy
Sweat
Sweating