Retrospective analysis of the efficacy of epidural labour analgesia on early breastfeeding after vaginal delivery

Abstract

Abstract Background The breast feeding is important for infant and mother .The epidural labour analgesia is used frequently to alleviate the pain during the vaginal delivery . Studies found that epidural labor analgesia may have a negative effect on postpartum breastfeeding. But the efficacy of epidural labour analgesia on breastfeeding early after vaginal delivery was unclear . So this retrospective analysis was made to illuminate the efficacy of epidural labour analgesia on postpartum breast feeding. Methods 392 women who received vaginal delivery in the Second People's Hospital of Foshan from July 2022 to June 2023 were selected in this studyand all women received the epidural labour analgesia were divide into three group according to the efficacy of labour analgesia. Women with VAS score 4-6 were divided into Group M(n=127) and women with VAS score﹥7 were divided into Group P (n=73).The lactation initiation time and the incidenceof delayed onset of lactation were analyzed .The lactation volume and times and the LATCH score at 24,48 and 72 hours after vaginal delivery were also analyzed. Results The lactation initiation time in Group M was shorter than those in Group E and Group P with statistical significance (All P﹤0.05);There was no significant difference of lactation initiation time after vaginal delivery between Group E and Group P (P﹥0.05). The incidence of delayed onset of lactation in Group M were lower than those in Group E and Group P with statistical significance(All P﹤0.05);There was no statistical significance of the incidence of delayed onset of lactation between Group E and Group P(P﹥0.05).The lactation volume at 24 , 48 and 72 hours after vaginal delivery in Group M were higher than those in Group E and Group P with statistical significance (All P ﹤0.05); There wasno significant difference of lactation volume at 24,48 and 72 hours after vaginal delivery between Group E and Group P(P﹥0.05). The lactation times at 24 , 48 and 72 hours after vaginal delivery in Group M were higher than those in Group E and Group Pwith statistical significance (All,P﹤0.05); There wasno significant difference of lactation times at 24,48 and 72 hours after vaginal delivery between Group E and Group P(P﹥0.05).There was no significant difference of LATCH scores at 24,48 and 72 hours after vaginal delivery among the three groups (All P﹥0.05). Conclusions Compared with labour analgesia with excellent and poor analgesia efficacy, the labouranalgesia with moderate analgesia efficacy has less cases of prolatin using,morelactation volume and times, shorter lactation initiation time, lessincidence of delayed onset of lactation and no effect on the LATCH score of breastfeeding.