Impact of Epidural Anaesthesia in Normal Vaginal Delivery of Primiparous Patients

Labour pain is one of the most intense forms of pain experienced by women during childbirth. Effective pain management is an important component of modern obstetric care. Epidural analgesia is widely used because it provides superior pain relief compared with other analgesic methods. However, concerns remain regarding its potential effects on labour progression, delivery outcomes and neonatal well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of epidural anaesthesia on labour duration, mode of delivery and neonatal outcomes among primiparous women undergoing normal vaginal delivery. This retrospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Bangladesh Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from January 2021 to December 2021. A total of 100 primiparous women with singleton term pregnancies who underwent normal vaginal delivery were included. Among them, 50 women received epidural analgesia during labour and 50 delivered without epidural analgesia. Data regarding maternal characteristics, labour duration, delivery outcomes and neonatal outcomes were collected from hospital records. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0. Baseline obstetric characteristics were comparable between the two groups. The mean duration of the active first stage of labour was significantly longer in the epidural group (301.8±45.6 minutes) compared with the non-epidural group (259.7±40.8 minutes) (p<0.001). The second stage of labour was also longer in the epidural group (51.6±17.9 minutes vs. 38.7±13.5 minutes, p=0.001). Instrumental vaginal delivery was more frequent in the epidural group (22.0%) compared with the non-epidural group (8.0%). Neonatal outcomes, including Apgar scores and NICU admission rates, were similar between groups. Epidural analgesia prolongs labour duration and increases instrumental delivery rates but does not adversely affect neonatal outcomes.