NCT04940091

Epidural Analgesia and Maternal Fever During Labor

Association Between the Effect of Epidural Analgesia and the Development of Maternal Fever During Labor: a Multicenter, Prospective, Observational, Cohort Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 1,051 (actual)
• Sponsor: Peking University First Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Women who receive epidural analgesia during labor are more likely to develop fever than those who do not. Maternal fever during labor can produce various harmful effects on both mothers and infants. The investigators speculate that the effect of epidural analgesia is associated with the development of maternal fever, i.e., better analgesia is associated with higher risk of maternal fever.

Detailed description

Epidural related maternal fever (ERMF) refers to the phenomenon of increased body temperature of parturient after receiving epidural analgesia during labor. Women who receive epidural labor analgesia are more likely to have fever than those who do not. In a systematic review, 20-33% of parturients receiving neuraxial analgesia developed fever during labor, compared with only 5-7% of those without neuraxial analgesia. Maternal fever can interfere with women's laboring process, decrease the sensitivity of the uterus and cervix to oxytocin, and lead to dystocia and increased surgical delivery rate. The investigators note that the rate of ERMF is lower in patients receiving lower density neuraxial blockade. The study is designed to test the hypothesis that the effect of epidural analgesia is associated with the development of maternal fever, i.e., better analgesia is associated with higher risk of maternal fever.

Conditions

• Epidural Analgesia
• Analgesic Effect
• Fever

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Epidural analgesia	Epidural analgesia is performed with a mixture of local anesthetics (ropivacaine) and opioids (sufentanil).

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-06-10
• Primary completion: 2022-02-05
• Completion: 2022-03-21
• First posted: 2021-06-25
• Last updated: 2025-03-11

Locations

8 sites across 1 country: China