If we asked our mothers about the anesthesia that they were given at the time of giving birth, surely many would respond that then they were other times and that they gave birth without epidural. Some, like mine, would even add that "it didn't hurt that much either."
The fact is that today there are many women who make use of epidural anesthesia because as one of my anesthetists said: "If you saw how women change their faces when I arrive and I put the epidural you would like everyone to ask for it" .
As this does not go from what I want or stop wishing, I tell you the data of a recent survey conducted at the Hospital de Manises, in the province of Valencia, where 71.7% of pregnant women stated that they intend to ask for the epidural the day they are going to give birth.
On the other hand, 12% were against receiving such anesthesia, while the remaining 16.3% did not manifest.
The study aims to analyze the degree of information that future mothers have and know what their preferences are, now that both natural childbirth and epidural anesthesia are talked about.
The truth is that the study sample does not allow the data to be too conclusive, since it is about 210 women who attend the childbirth preparation classes of this hospital. By this I mean that by surveying women from other hospitals, very different data may be obtained (or not).
Anyway, analyzing these results, and without having a previous reference with which to compare, I am left with the impression that 72% are less than I would say if they asked me how many mothers I think they will ask for the epidural when they give birth, although we must bear in mind that here we talk about intention, not reality. Many women come with the intention of not asking for the epidural and then end up asking for it, thus increasing the number of women who give birth under anesthesia.
As we have commented on other occasions, the epidural has its advantages: give birth stops hurting. But it can have its drawbacks: depending on what dose is administered, the woman has to remain lying down, she can suffer tension drops, the administration of synthetic oxytocin is usually necessary, since anesthesia tends to slow births and can cause other complications.
Perhaps the solution is the use of epidural anesthesia in low doses, even controlled by the woman, allowing the mother to continue walking, moving and adopting the postures that the childbirth asks for at any time. In other words, feeling the birth but with a tad less pain
