IV Pain Medication
IV pain medications (intravenous) are given through an IV (small plastic tube) that is placed in a vein in your arm. There are a variety of different IV pain medications your doctor can prescribe during labor.
About IV Pain Medication...
IV pain medications (intravenous) are given through an IV (small plastic tube) that is placed in a vein in your arm. There are a variety of different IV pain medications your doctor can prescribe, each having different risks and benefits. Some of the most common are: fentanyl, morphine, hydromorphone, meperidine, and remifentanil. IV pain medications can be given throughout labor. IV pain medications aren’t given immediately before the delivery of the baby because they cross the placenta and may make the baby sleepy or have trouble breathing.
Benefits
Risks
- IV pain medications are available on most labor and delivery units.
- The drugs work quickly, providing pain relief within 5-10 minutes.
- This may be a good choice for early or spontaneous labor.
- Common side effects for women receiving IV pain medications include nausea, vomiting, or feeling drowsy.
- Rare risks for women receiving IV pain medications include difficulty breathing or allergic reactions.
- IV pain medications can go through the mother’s blood to the placenta and reach the unborn baby. Sometimes, this causes changes in the baby’s heart rate or ability to breathe at birth. The risk of this happening is higher for long-acting medications.
- Women that receive large or frequent doses of IV pain medications are at increased risk of having babies with lower APGAR scores or more difficulty breathing.