Dr. Nikki Higgins
Consultant Anaesthesiologist and Director of Anaesthesiology at National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street
Discover the facts about epidural pain relief in labour. Learn the truth behind common myths on back pain, caesarean risk, labour duration, timing and safety.
Epidural analgesia is by far the most effective and reliable form of pain relief for labour, and it has a very good safety profile. Approximately 80% of first-time mothers delivering vaginally in the National Maternity Hospital will use epidural analgesia.
Epidurals cause chronic back pain
False. While some women do experience back discomfort after labour, there’s no evidence that epidurals are to blame.1 Pregnancy itself and pre-existing back problems are the more likely culprits.
An epidural will slow labour down
Partially true. Epidurals do prolong labour, but the magnitude is small. It’s just 15 minutes on average over the duration of the labour.
If nerve damage does occur,
it’s far more likely to be
related to the birth itself.
If I get an epidural, I’ll end up needing a C-section
Epidurals do not increase the risk of needing a caesarean section (C-section), and several large studies prove this. Research also shows that epidurals can make labour safer2 — especially for women with certain medical conditions.3
There’s only a small window of time to get an epidural
While it’s best not to wait until the last minute, you can usually request an epidural at any stage — as long as there’s enough time for it to take effect. When labour is faster (eg. your second labour), the baby may come quicker than the epidural can take effect.
Epidurals can cause nerve damage
While this is possible, it is rare. If nerve damage does occur, it’s far more likely to be related to the birth itself (eg. from prolonged pushing or pressure on nerves inside the pelvis from the baby).
[1] Timerga, Sara, et al. “Assessment of the Association Between Neuraxial Anesthesia and Back Pain After Delivery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Anesthesiology Research and Practice, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1155/anrp/2105413.
[2] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Analgesia and Cesarean Delivery Rates.” Obstetrics & Gynecology, vol. 107, no. 6, 2006, pp. 1487–88.
[3] Kearns, R. J., et al. “Epidural Analgesia During Labour and Severe Maternal Morbidity: Population Based Study.” BMJ, vol. 385, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-077190.
