Related Experiment Videos
The effect of maternal epidural analgesia on fetal oxygen saturation
N Johnson1, E van Oudgaarden, I A Montague
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
Objective:
To observe fetal arteriolar oxygen saturation during maternal epidural analgesia.
Design:
An observation study of 27 epidural top-ups.
Setting:
Labour ward, St James's University Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds University, UK.
Sample:
Seventeen fetuses in uncomplicated labour monitored with a N400 fetal pulse oximeter.
Outcome Measure:
A change in fetal pulse oximetry reading following epidural analgesia.
Results:
There is no change in fetal oxygen saturation following an uncomplicated epidural top-up (F = 0.93; df 35 and 784).
Conclusion:
An uneventful maternal epidural has no measurable effect on fetal oxygen saturation measured with a N400 pulse oximeter.