Background The pain that women experience during labour is affected by multiple
physiological and psychosocial factors and its intensity can vary greatly. Most women in …

The pain of childbirth is arguably the most severe pain most women will endure in their
lifetimes. The pain of the early first stage of labor arises from dilation of the lower uterine …

Background Childbirth fear is linked with lower labor pain tolerance and worse postpartum
adjustment. Empirically validated childbirth preparation options are lacking for pregnant …

The maternal and fetal effects of analgesia during labor and delivery are issues of concern
to patients, anesthesiologists, and obstetrical caregivers. Roughly 60 percent of women in …

• Labour is an emotional experience and involves both physiological and psychological
mechanisms.• The pain of labour is severe but despite this its memory diminishes with time.• …

Background Parenteral opioids are used for pain relief in labour in many countries
throughout the world. Objectives To assess the acceptability, effectiveness and safety of …

Background Parenteral opioids (intramuscular and intravenous drugs including patient‐
controlled analgesia) are used for pain relief in labour in many countries throughout the …

Presently, the gold standard for pain control in laboring patients is neuraxial blockade, which
includes a spinal, epidural, or a combined spinal-epidural technique. In conjunction with …

Purpose: To review the effects of maternal anesthesia and analgesia on the fetus and
newborn. Methods: An on-line computerized search of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane …

This report describes the background and process for a rigorous project to improve
understanding of labor pain and its management, and summarizes the main results and their …