[Impact of epidural anesthesia during delivery on breast feeding].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of epidural anesthesia during delivery on breast feeding. METHOD: A total of 170 healthy women hospitalized for vaginal delivery without obstetric complications during the year 2001 to July 2003 were analyzed, who were divided into observation group (n=96) with continuous epidural anesthesia and control group (n=74) without continuous epidural anesthesia or postpartum analgesia. The data of analgesic efficacy, postpartum mental state, starting time of lactation, milk quantity and the feeding times in 24 h and prolactin level before and 48 h after delivery were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The women in the observation group reported better analgesic efficacy than the control group (P<0.01) with also better postpartum mental state (P<0.05). The observation group had shorter starting time of lactation and larger quantity of milk secretion (P<0.05) with higher prolactin level 48 h after delivery (P<0.05) than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous epidural anesthesia and postpartum analgesia are effective and safe with little side effects in pain relief, improving the mental state, and promoting breast feeding. Obvious analgesic effect reduces catecholamine level, promotes prolactin secretion, and benefits the breast feeding.