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Created January 12, 2018, last updated about 3 years ago.
Collection: 87, Score: 1917, Trend score: 0, Read count: 2029, Articles count: 5, Created: 2018-01-12 01:00:33 UTC. Updated: 2021-02-08 23:34:47 UTC.Notes
Although there remains much conflicting evidence, largely of a low-quality observational nature, the highest quality evidence to date refutes assertions that epidural fentanyl reduces breastfeeding rates.
Notably Lee et al.’s 2017 RCT of over 300 women showed no effect of epidural fentanyl up to 2 mcg/mL and successful maternal breastfeeding up to 6 weeks.
Daniel Jolley
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Collected Articles
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Epidural Labor Analgesia-Fentanyl Dose and Breastfeeding Success: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Epidural fentanyl at concentrations up to 2 mcg/mL does not effect breastfeeding rates in women who have previously successfully breastfed.
pearl -
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
A Randomized Control Trial of Bupivacaine and Fentanyl versus Fentanyl-only for Epidural Analgesia during the Second Stage of Labor.
Fentanyl-only epidural infusion shows no benefit over fentanyl/bupiv in respect to duration of labor, motor block, delivery, analgesia, or outcomes.
pearl -
Despite widespread use of epidural analgesia during labor, no consensus has been reached among obstetric and anesthesia providers regarding its effects on breastfeeding. The purpose of this review was to examine the relationship between labor epidural analgesia and breastfeeding in the immediate postpartum period. PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched for articles published in 1990 or thereafter, using the search term breastfeeding combined with epidural, labor epidural analgesia, labor analgesia, or epidural analgesia Of 117 articles, 23 described empirical studies specific to labor epidural analgesia and measured a breastfeeding outcome. ⋯ Other limitations were related to small sample size or inadequate study power; variation and lack of information regarding type and dosage of analgesia or use of other intrapartum interventions; differences in timing, definition, and method of assessing breastfeeding success; or failure to consider factors such as mothers' intention to breastfeed, social support, siblings, or the mother's need to return to work or school. It is also unclear to what extent results are mediated through effects on infant neurobehavior, maternal fever, oxytocin release, duration of labor, and need for instrumental delivery. Clinician awareness of factors affecting breastfeeding can help identify women at risk for breastfeeding difficulties in order to target support and resources effectively.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Epidural analgesia and breastfeeding: a randomised controlled trial of epidural techniques with and without fentanyl and a non-epidural comparison group.
Epidural fentanyl does not have an effect on breastfeeding initiation.
pearl -
The effect of labor analgesia on breastfeeding success is not well defined. Some authors have hypothesized that labor analgesia may affect lactation success. The purpose of this observational study was to determine if intrapartum analgesia influenced breastfeeding success at 6 weeks postpartum in a setting that strongly supported breastfeeding. ⋯ In a hospital that strongly promotes breastfeeding, epidural labor analgesia with local anesthetics and opioids does not impede breastfeeding success. We recommend that hospitals that find decreased lactation success in parturients receiving epidural analgesia reexamine their postdelivery care policies.
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