Analgesia in first stage of labor

Pain during childbirth is one of the most excruciating pain experiences that women encountered in their lives (Eeriksson et al., 2006). Fear of childbirth has been associated with a longer first and second stage of labour and dissatisfaction with the childbirth experience (Saisto et al., 2001). Fear of childbirth has also been implicated in women's requests for caesarean sections and a resultant increased rate of caesarean sections (Eriksson et al., 2006). Adequate analgesia during labour has a positive influence on the course of labour. Most women who deliver in modern obstetric units request some form of pharmacological and non pharmacological pain relief. The ideal obstetric analgesic should provide potent analgesic efficacy with minimal maternal and neonatal adverse effects. Epidural analgesia offers the best pain relief for many women in labour. But, when it is contraindicated or woman does not wish to have an epidural analgesia, administration of injectable opioids such as pethidine is a simple and less invasive alternative (Khooshideh and Shahriari, 2009).