اعلام University of Babylon | The College of Medicine at the University of Babylon Discusses a Diploma Thesis on Epidural Anesthesia During Labor

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The College of Medicine at the University of Babylon Discusses a Diploma Thesis on Epidural Anesthesia During Labor

By : Zaynab Kadhim Ameen Awadh

Date : 09/9/2025 44:53:12 PM

The College of Medicine at the University of Babylon Discusses a Diploma Thesis on Epidural Anesthesia During Labor
At the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, Department of Family and Community Medicine, student Rusul Radi Abdul Hassan Youssef defended her higher diploma thesis in family medicine entitled:
“Effects of Epidural Analgesia on Labor Outcomes, Mothers, and Newborns.”
The thesis was supervised by Prof. Dr. Malal Mohammed Abdul Redha Al-Jubouri, and attended by the Head of the Department, Prof. Dr. Amir Kazem Hussein, physicians from the Babylon Health Directorate, several faculty members, and postgraduate students.
The researcher explained that the study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of epidural anesthesia during labor on both mother and fetus compared to no anesthesia, in addition to assessing pregnant women’s awareness of this technique, their acceptance of it, and the reasons for their refusal.
The study results showed that the rate of fetal distress during labor was significantly higher in the epidural group (14.7%) compared to the group without anesthesia (4.6%), despite there being no difference in the duration of labor between the two groups. Pain scores decreased markedly after the use of epidural anesthesia (p < 0.001). Maternal complications occurred in 13.1% of normal deliveries without anesthesia versus 20.6% in the epidural group. Regarding neonatal complications (respiratory distress), they were observed in 22.3% of newborns of mothers who did not receive anesthesia, compared with 29.4% in those who did.
The study concluded that epidural anesthesia is effective in managing labor pain (with a significant reduction in pain scores). Although side effects may occur for both mother and newborn, they are temporary and did not affect morbidity or mortality rates. The practice of epidural anesthesia during labor remains low, with only 16% of women using the technique, and refusal was mainly due to fear of potential complications