Effects of differentmethods of postoperative analgesia on lactation after cesarean section

：Objective To study theeffect of different methods of postoperative analyesia on lactation in women aftercesarean section. Methods Ninety patients were randomly divided into three groups with 30cases for each group. The patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) was used forpostoperative analgesia in group Ⅰ,the patient-controlledintravenous analgesia (PCIA) in group Ⅱ,and intramuscularlyinjection of pathididne as needed in group Ⅲ. The plasm level ofprolactin was measured with radioimmunoassay at 12 h,24 h and 48 h during analgesia. VASscore and lactation were recorded at the same time points. Results The VAS scores of groupⅡ and I were significantly lower than those of groupⅢ (P<0.05). The plasma level of prolactin at 48 hduring analgesia was significantly higher in groupⅡ and I than that in group Ⅲ (P<0.05). The lactationwas earlier in group Ⅱ and I than that in groupⅢ as well. The analgesic efficiency in group Ⅱ and I was significantly higher than group Ⅲ (P<0.05). Rates of early contact between mother and baby, earlysucking of baby, on-demand breast-feeding and successful breast-feeding in the groupⅡ and I were significant higher than group Ⅲ(P<0.05). Conclusions PCEA orPCIA provides better postoperative analgesia and earlier lactation than analgesia withpathidine injection in the patients after caesarean section. Key words: Epidural analgesia; Intravenousanalgesia; Prolactin; Caesarean section