Adolescent use of analgesia for delivery

Results of of an experience at the Women´s Hospital - Pereira Rossell Hospital Center

Abstract

Introduction: adolescent pregnancy constitutes a bio-psycho and social issue. Obstetric analgesia has a positive impact on mothers and the mother-child bond.
Objective: to describe pregnant adolescents who received epidural analgesia and its effectiveness, to learn about these patients’ reality and the work conducted and the Women´s Hospital.
Method: retrospective, descriptive study, from January 2012 through January 2013. We reviewed 186 medical records, analising age, parity, verbal analogue scale prior to analgesia and after 10 minutes, duration, natural childbirth or C-section, maternal complication, satisfaction test, Apgar.
Results: average age was 17.3 ± 0.1 years old. Eighty five point eight percent were primiparous, 9.7% were adolescents pregnant for the second time, and 1,1% were adolescents pregnant for the third time.
Eighty point 1 percent scored 10 in the verbal analogue scale; 5.9% of them scored 9; and 8.6% scored 8. Ten minutes later, 97.3% scores 0 in the scale and 4.8% scored between 1 and 4. A statistically significant difference was found between the verbal analogue scale upon initiation and 10 minutes later in 179 patients, valor p < 0.001. Sixty seven point two percent of patients were completely calmed and 32.8% were partially calmed.
The average duration of analgesia was 198.9% ± 8,1 minutes. Eighty four point nine per cent had a natural birth and 15.1% were C-section. There were no serious maternal complications. Ninety eight point four percent were vigorous newborns.
Conclusions: most adolescents were in the late stage, they were pregnant for the first time and were in severe pain. Analgesia for delivery resulted an effective technique. More studies are necessary to determine the impact of the technique on the method of delivery.