CSE for Labour Analgesia: A Comparison of Two Intrathecal Regimens

Overview

Analgesia in labour is not readily available in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The overall cost of Epidural services in terms of human personnel and financial implication makes this inaccessible to many women in labour. Thus, a cheaper, less technically demanding and easier option that can produce as much satisfaction for the parturient and would allow her participate in the second stage of labour by being able to bare down is being studied. The Single Shot Spinal (SSS) would provide pain relief in these women however its draw back is its time limitation as the option of a top up is not available. Two regimen of drug options would be considered using opioids. These would be compared to see how well they are able to provide analgesia in women who hitherto have had vaginal birth. Their onset, duration of action and possible side effects would be compared. NULL HYPOTHESIS: Single Shot Spinal with Bupivacaine Fentanyl (BF) cannot provide a statistically significant difference in labour analgesia in comparison with Bupivacaine Fentanyl Morphine (BFM) ALTERNATE HYPOTHESIS: Single Shot Spinal with BF can provide a statistically significant difference in labour in comparison with BFM

A double blinded randomized study comparing 2 intrathecal mixtures for labour analgesia. 94 multiparous parturients in active labour who have given informed consent would be recruited into the study. They would be randomly allocated into 2 groups using simple random sampling. An Assistant would know the code and prepare the intrathecal solutions. Baseline vitals would be taken and patient's pain score noted. Due protocol would be followed and a combined spinal epidural sited but with the epidural not activated until the effect of the spinal wears off. Routine monitoring would be done and various parameters and indices noted. Where the effect of the spinal lasts the duration of labour thus no need to activate the epidural, this would also be noted. Data would be analysed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.