Perinatal outcomes after regional analgesia during labour.

BACKGROUND: Regional analgesia is a common and effective form of in-labour analgesia. However, there are concerns whether it is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. AIMS: To examine the association between regional analgesia and maternal and neonatal outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective population-based cohort study of singleton term births in Victoria, Australia, between 2014 and 2020. Women who received regional analgesia were compared with women who did not. Multivariable logistic and linear regressions were used. RESULTS: There were 107 013 women who received regional analgesia and 214 416 women who did not. Compared to women who did not receive regional analgesia, regional analgesia was associated with an increased risk of instrumental birth (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.59, 95% CI: 3.52-3.67), caesarean section (aOR = 2.30, 95% CI: 2.24-2.35), longer duration of the second stage of labour (ß coefficient = 26.6 min, 95% CI: 26.3-27.0), Apgar score below seven at five minutes (aOR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.21-1.39), need for neonatal resuscitation (aOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.40-1.48), need for formula in hospital (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.65-1.72), and the last feed before discharge not exclusively from the breast (aOR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.56-1.62). CONCLUSION: Regional analgesia use in labour was associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. These findings may add to the risk-benefit discussion regarding regional analgesia for pain relief and highlight the importance of shared decision-making. Further large prospective studies and randomised controlled trials will be useful.

Elective induction of labour at full-term gestations and childhood school outcomes.

AIM: To explore the association between induction of labour at full-term gestations in low-risk nulliparous women and childhood school outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective whole-of-population cohort study linking perinatal data to educational test scores at grades 3, 5 and 7 in Victoria, Australia. Low-risk nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies induced at 39 and 40 weeks without a medical indication were compared to those expectantly managed from that week of gestation. Multivariable logistic regressions were used as well as generalised estimating equations on longitudinal data. RESULTS: At 39 weeks, there were 3687 and 103 164 infants in the induction and expectant arms, respectively. At 40 weeks' gestation, there were 7914 and 70 280 infants, respectively. Infants born to nulliparous women induced at 39 weeks' gestation had significantly poorer educational outcomes at grade 3 (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-1.70) but not grades 5 (aOR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.84-1.33) and 7 (aOR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.81-1.40) compared to those expectantly managed. Infants born to nulliparous women induced at 40 weeks had comparable educational outcomes at grade 3 (aOR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.90-1.25) but poorer educational outcomes at grades 5 (aOR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.05-1.43) and 7 (aOR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.03-1.47) compared to those expectantly managed. CONCLUSIONS: There were inconsistent associations between elective induction of labour at full-term gestations in low-risk nulliparous women and impaired childhood school outcomes.