A study published in The BMJ found that having an epidural during labor is associated with a significant reduction in serious complications after giving birth, known as severe maternal morbidity (SMM). Women with risk factors for SMM are recommended to have an epidural. The study, based on data from over 567,000 mothers in Scotland, showed that epidural was linked to a 35% reduction in SMM overall, with greater reductions in women with a medical indication for epidural or delivering prematurely. Researchers suggest that epidural analgesia may be a protective option for at-risk pregnancies, advocating for equitable access to this treatment.
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Epidural linked to reduction in serious complications after childbirth
