Hazards of labour pain and the role of non-neuraxial labour analgesia

SummaryLabour pain is one of the worst pains known to women. Labour pain induces multisystem changes in the mother which may have an effect on the baby as well. Although neuraxial analgesia is considered the Gold Standard for labour analgesia, not every maternity hospital has the facilities to administer it. Women themselves for various reasons may not want to consider the neuraxial blockade. We have given the detailed account of the hazards of labour pain and the non-neuraxial methods of labour analgesia with their current scientific evidence. In this review we have given the detailed account of the non-neuraxial methods of labour analgesia and their current scientific evidence. Every pregnant woman should be told the various methods of pain relief and her wish should be respected.