Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the association between epidural analgesia and maternal, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes during childbirth.
Methodology: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study at Les Dix Lunes Maternity Unit, EpiCura Hospital (Ath, Belgium), including all women who delivered between January 2015 and December 2021. Women undergoing planned cesarean delivery were excluded. Participants were classified according to epidural analgesia use. Maternal characteristics, labor progression, delivery mode, and neonatal outcomes were compared using appropriate statistical tests. Statistical significance was defined as p<0.05.
Results: A total of 4,706 deliveries were analyzed, including 1,971 women receiving epidural analgesia and 2,735 without epidural. Epidural analgesia was more frequently used in primiparous women and during induced labor. Instrumental vaginal delivery was more common in the epidural group, whereas emergency cesarean delivery was more frequent in women without epidural. Neonatal outcomes were generally comparable between groups.
Conclusion: Epidural analgesia remains a safe and effective method for labor pain relief. Although associated with differences in labor management and delivery mode, it was not associated with clinically relevant adverse neonatal outcomes.