Intrapartum Epidural Fentanyl/Bupivacaine Analgesia, Infant Feeding Behavior, & Breast-Feeding Outcomes

University Hospitals (UH)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anesthesia, Epidural; Breast Feeding

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01260051

uhcmc

Details and patient eligibility

About

Currently, no clear consensus exists regarding the effect of epidural anesthesia upon breast-feeding. In theory, epidurals may increase breast-feeding failure via inadequate maternal milk production, deficiencies in neonatal neurobehavior, or both, but most studies have failed to separate these potential mechanisms. The present study examines whether epidural duration correlates with 1) likelihood of breast-feeding at hospital discharge and 2) neonatal neurobehavioral deficits in feeding, as measured by the L&A components of the standardized, validated LATCH scoring system.

Enrollment: 310 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Vaginal delivery
• Delivery of a single live neonate

Exclusion criteria

• NICU admission following delivery
• Pitocin augmentation

Trial design

310 participants in 2 patient groups

Epidural Recipients

Non-Epidural Recipients