The New Indian Journal of OBGYN. Epub Ahead of Print

Efficacy of intravenous infusion of paracetamol as an intrapartum labour analgesia

Neha Majotra, Priyashu Parehar, Rohini Jaggi

ABSTRACT

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of an intravenous infusion of 1000 mg of paracetamol as intrapartum labour analgesic. Methodology: This was a prospective study carried out in department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in SMGS Hospital, Government Medical College, Jammu for a period of one year during 2019-2020 on 200 antenatal mother in active labour, after receiving the ethical clearance and written consent. The first 100 patients fulfilling the inclusion standards had been recruited into the study. Women had been then randomised to obtain both intravenous one thousand mg (1000mg) of Paracetamol (Group A, n=100) or intravenous injection of sterile water (Group B, n=100). Both the groups had been observed and compared for time of onset of analgesia, pain intensity was recorded by using Mc Gills scale before, one and three hours after drug administration, duration of labour, maternal cardiorespiratory parameters, mode of delivery, fetal Apgar scores, neonatal outcome and side effects of drugs. Results: No difference in pain intensity was visible earlier than drug administration. There was significant pain reduction in paracetamol group after 1 and 3 hour of drug administration (p<0.001) when compared to placebo. Total duration of labour from enrolment in study to delivery in the paracetamol group changed was 259.97 (4 hrs18 mins) ± 14.47 minutes and in the placebo group it was 461 minutes (7 hrs 68 mins) ± 66.01 mins suggested that total labour duration was shortened in paracetamol group compared to placebo. Maternal complications like nausea, vomiting was not significant in both groups. APGAR scores in both groups had been satisfactory. Conclusion: Intravenous paracetamol was an efficacious non-opioid drug for relieving labour pain without any significant maternal and foetal adverse effects.