An epidural reduces the risk of serious complications during childbirth by 35%, according to this study

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In France, almost eight out of ten women use epidural anesthesia during childbirth.

HEALTH – Complications during childbirth are still among the causes maternal mortality. Among the tools available to doctors: epidural. According to a study by the British universities of Glasgow and Bristol published in April 2024, making access to this procedure easier would actually reduce the risk of serious complications in the maternity ward.

Epidural anesthesia, which is administered between the two lumbar vertebrae, helps reduce pain during natural labor or cesarean delivery. According to this new study, published in a scientific journal BMJ and transferred The Independentthe procedure can also reduce the risk of serious complications by 35%.

Reduced risk of complications

The British study is based on a sample of 567,216 women who gave birth in Scottish hospitals between 2007 and 2019, of whom 125,024 had an epidural.

The results suggest that an epidural can significantly reduce the risk of maternal mortality for pregnant women, especially those who have delivered prematurely or have a medical history. According to researchers, epidural anesthesia reduces the risk of certain serious complications during childbirth, including heart attack, eclampsia and hysterectomy.

France is one of the countries where epidural anesthesia is used the most common in the world. In 2021 82.7% women French women resorted to this procedure during childbirth. But the figure is much lower in Scotland, where it is only 22.2% of pregnant women got one between 2007 and 2020.

Expansion of epidural access

Another element to consider: social differences in access to epidurals. In the second study published in February 2024 BMJresearchers report a 4% difference in support for the procedure between disadvantaged and middle-class women.

This new study on the effects of epidurals on the risk of complications during childbirth prompts researchers to seek better access to this service in the maternity ward for all pregnant women, especially those whose health is more at risk.

“By expanding access and improving awareness, we can significantly reduce the risk of serious health consequences and ensure a safer birth experience.”said Professor Rachel Kearns, lead author of the study, from the University of Bristol.

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