PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Rick D. Edwards
AU  - Nancy K. Hansel
AU  - Harold T. Pruessner
AU  - Bruce Barton
TI  - Intrathecal Morphine As Analgesia For Labor Pain
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.1.4.245
DP  - 1988 Oct 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
PG  - 245--250
VI  - 1
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/1/4/245.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/1/4/245.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med1988 Oct 01; 1
AB  - In this descriptive study of intrathecal morphine sulfate used for pain control during labor, 49 parturients received morphine intrathecally, 78 were administered butorphanol tartrate (Stadol™), and 34 received no analgesia. Significant differences for the intrathecal group induded: (1) decreased requirement of nitrous oxide for delivery, (2) lower number of doses of postpartum intramuscular pain medication, and (3) increased use of forceps. The intrathecal morphine group showed no prolongation of labor and no major side effects in mothers or newborns. The results suggest that the use of lower levels of intrathecal morphine sulfate (0.5 mg) is as safe and effective as the more traditional intravenous analgesia for labor.