The Effects on the Fetus of Early Versus Late Regional Analgesia.

Early initiation of neuraxial labor analgesia has no known adverse fetal or neonatal effects. It may reduce reliance on systemic opioid analgesia, a technique that is associated with a decrease in fetal heart rate variability and increase in neonatal depression. Whether there are positive or negative effects of early versus late initiation of analgesia on the incidence of neuraxial analgesia-associated fetal bradycardia and maternal fever requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]