The Effect of Epidural Analgesia to the Grade of Perineal Laceration during Labor and APGAR Scores

Abstract Objective: To determine the effect of epidural analgesia in labor on the grade of perineal laceration and Apgar scores of the babies. Method: Experiment was done by conducting clinical trials of single blind randomized controlled design (randomized, single-blind clinical trial). Sampling was done by a randomized block permutation. Research conducted on the grouped primigravidae in labor in two groups, namely treatment and without treatment. Treatment group was given epidural analgesia and the group without treatment was not given epidural analgesia. The next step is assessing the grade of perineal laceration and Apgar scores of the babies. Sample size is determined based on the formula test of the hypothesis of two proportions and obtained a total sample of 42 people. Data was processed using the Statistical Package For Social Sciences (SPSS) For Windows Version 17.0 program. Result: There is an influence of epidural analgesia to the grade of perineal laceration in primigravidae in labor with the significant p value = 0.005 (p-value ≤ 0.05), another influence of epidural analgesia was also found on the baby’s Apgar score born one minute in primigravidae parturien with a value of p = 0.047 (p-value ≤ 0.05), but there is no significant effect of epidural analgesia on Apgar scores of babies born to 5 minutes in primigravidae in labor to the value p = 0.105 (p value > 0.05). Conclusion: The primigravidae in labor who received epidural analgesia group showed that there is an effect of decreasing grade of perineal laceration in a spontaneous vaginal delivery compared with the group who did not receive epidural analgesia, and influence of epidural analgesia was found on the 1 minute Apgar scores of the babies, but there is no influence of epidural analgesia on a 5-minute Apgar scores of babies born. [Indones J Obstet Gynecol 2011; 35-4:199-203] Keywords: epidural analgesia, perineal laceration, Apgar