Fever During Labor? It’s Not Because of the Epidural
Photo: Veer / The BumpDid you know you might get a fever during labor? In the past, it’s been suggested that epidural analgesia (the pain meds) is what causes laboring moms to burn up, but a new study in the August issue of Anesthesiology provides some surprising insight into the cause of maternal intrapartum fever (MIF).
University of Alabama researchers studied 81 women in induced labor to monitor the possible development of MIF. Seventy-eight women received epidural analgesia and their maternal temperatures were recorded before and after the drug was administered. Roughly only half of those recorded showed an increase in temperature, leading researchers to believe that an epidural has no effect on maternal fever. However, findings did show that those women who experienced an increase in maternal temperatures had a higher body mass index and prolonged delivery.
Did you get (or are you getting) an epidural? Would you recommended it to other moms?
Plus, more from The Bump:
8 Surprising Things That Happen After Labor
The Knot Blog
The Nest Blog
I do not recommend an epidural. Mine didnt work, and it was NOT that bad. Plus the back pain i get almost everyday, is not worth it.
i got an epidural i loved it, my labor went very quickly and i was able to rest before it was time to push. I also could feel when it was time to push (presser not pain) and had no issues, i have no back pain or any other issues and my baby came out wide awake and very alert.
I don’t recommend the epidural because if it you twitch just a little the WRONG way, you could have what I had, a pinched sciatic nerve, afterwards. I still have problems with that nerve, and it has been 11 years since I got it. I am pregnant with my 3rd and and these last few weeks have been a severe pain in the back due to a damaged nerve. It was MY fault that the nerve got damaged, but it isn’t worth the pain later. (2 procedures later to relieve the pinch…) But some times, it does work, it just didn’t for me. I wasn’t properly supported so I started leaning to the left and ended up jerking to correct myself and that is where the problems began.