BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
A comparison of intramuscular diamorphine and intramuscular pethidine for labour analgesia: a two-centre randomised blinded controlled trial.
Intramuscular (i.m.) pethidine is used worldwide for labour analgesia and i.m. diamorphine usage has increased in the UK in the last 15 years. This trial aims to ascertain the relative efficacy and adverse effects of diamorphine and pethidine for labour pain. ⋯ There is a modest difference between the analgesia provided by diamorphine or pethidine for labour analgesia but diamorphine is associated with significantly longer labours.