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Intravenous meperidine infusion for obstetric analgesia
L Isenor1, T Penny-MacGillivray
1Obstetrics Department, St. Martha's Regional Hospital, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Summary
Intravenous (IV) meperidine infusion provided superior labor pain relief compared to intermittent intramuscular (IM) injections. This study found IV administration more effective for managing obstetric pain when epidural analgesia is unavailable.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pain Management
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Epidural analgesia is a common method for obstetric pain relief.
- Alternative analgesia methods are needed when epidural access is unavailable.
- Meperidine is an opioid analgesic used for labor pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of intravenous (IV) meperidine infusion versus intermittent intramuscular (IM) meperidine injections for obstetric analgesia.
- To evaluate pain relief satisfaction during labor when epidural analgesia is not an option.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, controlled study involving 39 women with low-risk pregnancies.
- Participants received either IV meperidine infusion or IM meperidine injections.
- Pain intensity was assessed using a 10-cm visual analogue scale throughout labor.
Main Results:
- Women receiving IV meperidine reported significantly lower pain levels than those receiving IM injections (p = .0015).
- Higher doses of meperidine were administered in the IV group (mean 121 mg) compared to the IM group (mean 82 mg).
- Even with similar meperidine doses, IV administration resulted in lower pain scores.
Conclusions:
- Intravenous meperidine infusion is a more effective method for labor pain relief than intermittent IM injections.
- IV meperidine offers a safe and satisfying alternative for obstetric analgesia.
- No significant differences were observed in labor duration, maternal vital signs, or fetal outcomes.