Pain Relief Linked to Time of Labor

The time of day you’re having your baby could determine the effectiveness of the epidural pain medication you receive.

The time of day you’re having your baby could determine the effectiveness of the epidural pain medication you receive. Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., found that women who were in labor between noon and 6 p.m. got longer epidural relief from labor pain than did women who labored between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. All the women were expecting their first baby and received the same amount of the spinal-epidural medication fentanyl. Researchers believe the study’s findings are related to the body’s natural biologic rhythms, which affect sleep cycles, hormones and even perceptions of pain. — Melody IP ANESTHESIOLOGY