Side Effects of Epidural Injection During Pregnancy

We all know that labor is painful for women and the most common kind of pain relief is getting an epidural. Since there are so many women thinking about this, you may also ask about the side effects of epidural injection during pregnancy.

Side Effects of Epidural Injection During Pregnancy

Blood pressure and the pregnancy epidural side effects

Getting an epidural can lead to a sudden decrease of the blood pressure. This is why the nurses will regularly check your BP to make sure that the baby has a suitable blood flow. If the BP drops there might be need for you to have IV fluids, oxygen and medications.

Headache

A lot of women experience this one of the negative effects of pregnancy epidural. It is caused by the leaking spinal fluid. Nonetheless, only 1% experience severe symptoms. If the symptoms prolong, you may need a ‘blood patch’. This means an injection of blood to make the headache better.

Changing positions

After you receive the epidural, in order to avoid the side effects of epidural injection, you will have to alternate the sides that you lie on. The fetal heart rate will also be closely monitored. If you spend too much time on one side the labor could slow down or stop entirely.

Possible pregnancy epidural negative effects

The most common side effects of the pain relief include shivering, backache, ringing of ears, nausea, soreness where the needle was inserted and problems with urinating. In some cases women find that it becomes more difficult for them to push and they may need other medications.

Numbness

When thinking about the side effects of epidural injection during pregnancy you have to know that it is possible for the lower part of the body to feel numb for a few hours after birth. As a result, if you want to walk, you will need some help.

The baby

Some of the studies regarding the adverse effects of pregnancy epidural say that the baby may have problems latching on, making breastfeeding difficult. Others say that the babies could have respiratory depression and the heart rate of the little one can also be affected.

Although a lot of women opt for this kind of pain relief, it is important to think about the side effects of epidural injection during pregnancy as well. In order to know what to expect, you should talk to your doctor about the matter in order to be prepared.

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