American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Dec 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe influence of epidural analgesia on cesarean delivery rates: a randomized, prospective clinical trial.
The effects of epidural analgesia on the progress of labor are controversial. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of epidural analgesia on cesarean delivery rates in a population of patients randomly assigned to receive either epidural analgesia or intravenous opioids for intrapartum pain relief. ⋯ Epidural analgesia provides safe and effective intrapartum pain control and may be administered without undesirable effects on labor outcome.