Analgesia in labor: Evaluating clinical trial comparing between Entonox versus parenteral pethidine during the first stage of labor

Abstract

Background An adequate analgesia during labor is important to minimize the deleterious effects of sever labor pain on maternal and fetal condition and also on the progress of labor. Aim To compare the clinical effectiveness of inhalational analgesia by using Entonox versus systemic analgesia by using I.V pethidine for pain relief in the first stage of labor. Patients and methods 48 multiparous women were selected in the first stage of labor, were randomly allocated into 2 groups, group A had received I.V pethidine and group B had received Entonox. Total pain score measurement was done by using the parameters of Mc Gill pain questionnaire which include pain rating index (PRI) and present pain intensity (PPI). Results A comparison between group A&B done, the difference in PPI between pethidine & Entonox was showing a statistical significance P<0.001. The difference in PRI between pethidine &Entonox was carrying no statistical significance. Conclusions Inhalational analgesia by using Entonox in a proper intermittent technique is more effective than systemic analgesia by using parenteral pethidine for reducing present pain intensity in the 1st stage of labor.