Researchers at Glasgow Royal Infirmary analyzed nearly 500,000 births in Scotland over a 13-year period.
The aim was to determine whether epidural anesthesia during labor is associated with serious health problems in newborns.
According to HealthDay, the study included both uncomplicated and high-risk pregnancies, as well as preterm births.
Around one in four women in the study received an epidural.
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Multiple risks examined
The researchers investigated the risk of brain injury, severe respiratory problems, sepsis, low Apgar scores, death shortly after birth, and cerebral palsy later in childhood.
The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, is an observational study. This means it cannot prove that one factor directly causes the other.
However, the researchers believe that the large dataset and the lengthy follow-up period make the findings more robust.
Reassuring findings
Children born to mothers who received an epidural were not at greater risk of any of the serious conditions examined by the researchers.
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Severe brain injuries were rare, occurring in fewer than one in 1,000 children.
According to HealthDay, the results were consistent regardless of whether the birth was preterm, considered high-risk, or involved different modes of delivery.
The researchers therefore conclude that the findings support epidural anesthesia as a safe option for pain relief during childbirth.
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