Comparison of epidural blockade or nitrous oxide inhalation for labor analgesia

Objective To compare the clinical effects of patient-controlled epidural analgesia(PCEA) or nitrous oxide inhalation analgesia.Methods A total of 360 single-fetal primiparas of vagina-deliverying were randomly divided into three groups with 120 cases each.When utero-cervical was opened about 3 cm,the patients in group P were given PCEA with 2 μg/ml fentany and 0.11% ropivacaine and those in group N received inhalation of 50% nitrous oxide in 50% oxygen.Results A satisfectory delivery analgesia was obtained in both groups with shortened labor process,decreased rate of cesarean section or instrument labor and side effects on the fetal and neonate,without increase of postpartum hemorrhage.All the primiparas could take off-bed activity.The active phase of group P was(129±42) min,which was shorter than(169±44) min in group N(P0.05).Conclusion Compared with nitrous oxide inhalation,PCEA is more effect and suitable for labor analgesia.