Epidural Pethidine after Caesarean Section. A pilot study of initiation of lactation, plasma and milk levels of pethidine and norpethidine and the behaviour of breast-fed infants.

In women undergoing caesarean section with post-operative patient controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) with pethidine and their infants, is the initiation and establishment of lactation and breastfeeding behaviour comparable to those who have not received pethidine PCEA after caesarean section and to those who had vaginal delivery.

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12609000614291

Acronym

The EPACS Study

Enrollment

Registered

2009-07-22

Start date

2008-08-10

Completion date

2010-04-12

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

This study investigates possible effects of epidural pethidine and norpethidine on the initiation and establishment of lactation and brestfeeding behaviour of the infant.

Interventions

Intervention group: Women (and their infants) having elective caesarean section using pethidine 20 mg at 15 minute lockout time via patient controlled epidural boluses

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 40 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

For all: American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Classification I and II 18 years and over For study group: Mothers (and their infants) delivered via elective caesarean at term (37 weeks gestation or more) and preference for pethidine PCEA postoperatively For comparison groups: Mothers (and their infants) delivered via elective caesarean not using pethidine PCEA postoperatively Mothers (and their infants) delivered vaginally who were not exposed to systemic or epidural pethidine during labour

Exclusion criteria

Non-elective caesarean delivery Preoperative opioid use Multiple pregnancies Maternal diabetes or impairment of glucose regulation Abnormal renal function or severe pre-eclampsia Intolerance or allergy to pethidine Change to alternative analgesia to pethidine within 24 hours postoperatively Inability to provide adequate breast milk samples Neonates requiring admission to intensive care

Outcome results