KUALA LUMPUR, May 26: The use of epidurals as an anaesthetic during childbirth came under the spotlight on social media recently with some netizens equating the procedure to a “cheat code” to avoid pain during delivery.
This not only caused discomfort among mothers but also reflected a lack of understanding about a medical procedure that has long been used not only in obstetrics but also in other types of surgeries.
According to Associate Prof Dr Azarinah Izaham, a lecturer in the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, an epidural is an anaesthetic that is used not just during childbirth but also in orthopaedic surgery, abdominal procedures and other operations requiring pain management from the waist down.
“The scope of epidurals is very broad. It’s not limited to women in labour. Even children undergoing surgery may sometimes receive an epidural although the technique is different,” she told Bernama.
Dr Azarinah, who is also a consultant anaesthesiologist at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz, said epidural injections are more commonly used among women in labour as they have become the gold standard for managing pain during childbirth.
“The anaesthetic medication delivered through an epidural injection acts directly to block the transmission of pain signals, helping to reduce pain. This differs from taking painkillers like opiates, which have a more generalised effect and do not specifically target the nerves responsible for labour contractions,” she explained.
Although epidurals do not always completely eliminate pain (mothers may still feel uterine contractions), Dr Azarinah said the anaesthetic still provides greater comfort and helps maintain the emotional and physical well-being of the mother.
“When the mother is not stressed, she becomes calmer, more comfortable, and has more energy for the birthing process,” she said, adding that women undergoing caesarean deliveries can also opt for epidurals.
However, she added, epidurals are not suitable for everyone, especially patients with blood clotting disorders or who are taking blood-thinning medication.
Meanwhile, Nur Syuhadah Yusof, 33, recalled her experience about eight years ago when she chose to receive an epidural injection during childbirth. She said the procedure did indeed reduce the level of pain she experienced.
“(Before taking the injection) the contractions were coming every two minutes and I couldn’t take the pain anymore… I was crying. After the epidural was administered, the pain reduced a bit but it was still there. It didn’t disappear completely like people often think. I’d say it reduced the pain by about 20 percent,” she said. – TVS
