EBB 320 - Evidence on the Impact of Epidurals on the Pushing Phase of Labor

Evidence Based Birth®

Rebecca Dekker

Pregnancy, Health & Fitness, Childbirth, Parenting, Birth, Medicine, Kids & Family, Doula, Obstetrician, Midwife

4.6 • 978 Ratings

🗓️ 24 July 2024

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The impact of epidurals on the second stage of labor has sparked a lot of discussion. Research suggests that epidurals can prolong this stage... and a prolonged second stage can be associated with increased risks of infection, severe tears and the need for interventions like forceps-assisted delivery or Cesarean. But does an epidural mean that you are higher risk for complications during the second stage of labor, or are there ways to lessen your risks?

In this episode, Dr. Dekker explores the physiological effects of epidurals (and how they impact your body's birthing reflexes), the correlation between epidurals and the duration of the second stage of labor, and nuanced perspectives from professional guidelines worldwide— including a brief discussion of "laboring down" (aka delayed pushing).

References:

To access all the scientific references that go along with this episode, visit our blog article here.
Access the rest of our EBB Pain Management series go to this page and click on “Pain Management Series.”
Check out the EBB Pocket Guide to Comfort Measures here.
Find an EBB Childbirth Class near you here.

For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi everyone on today's podcast we're going to talk about the impact of
0:03.8	epidurals on the pushing phase of labor.
0:10.1	Welcome to the evidence-based birth podcast. My name is Rebecca Decker and I'm a nurse with my PhD and the founder of Evidence
0:17.5	Base Birth. Join me each week as we work together to get evidence-based information
0:22.8	into the hands of families and professionals
0:25.3	around the world.
0:26.7	As a reminder, this information is not medical advice.
0:30.1	See EBBbirth.com slash disclaimer for more details.
0:36.0	Have you ever wanted to get more involved at EBB?
0:39.0	If so, you might want to act now because tomorrow Thursday July 25th is the last day to sign up and get a free 30 day trial of the evidence-based birth pro membership.
0:51.0	In addition to being able to access all our continuing education courses, you'll be able to try out the EBB Dula mentorship,
0:57.0	the Midwifrey Brunch and Learn call, and get a bonus video all about the evidence on flu shots in pregnancy.
1:05.0	If you decide to stay with EBB as a pro member after your free trial ends,
1:08.8	you'll also save 20% off the monthly, quarterly, or annual price, whichever you choose.
1:14.1	We only offer this free trial opportunity once per year, so if you want to get access today,
1:18.8	just go to eBibirth.com slash membership.
1:22.3	And now let's talk all about the evidence on epidurals and the second stage of
1:26.2	labor. This episode is replacing EBB13 which was one of the first episodes of the EBB Podcast back in the year 2018.
1:35.0	If you prefer to learn by video, go visit our EBB YouTube channel where you'll
1:40.0	find several new high-definition videos all about the evidence on
1:43.6	epidurals. You can also find all the scientific references for today's
1:47.7	episode on our website at ebbirth.com slash 320. Morgan Kayama Richardson one of our ebbirti. birth. for compiling this research. A few weeks ago in episode 317, we gave you an overview of the
	...

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