Nalbuphine for obstetric analgesia. A comparison of nalbuphine with pethidine for pain relief in labour when administered by patient-controlled analgesia (PCA).

Summary A double-blind, randomised study of 60 patients who received intravenous increments of nalbuphine 3 mg or pethidine 15 mg by patient-controlled analgesia during the first stage of labour, was carried out. Pain intensity, sedation, uterine contractions, maternal cardioventilatory variables and fetal heart rate were recorded as well as any side effects. Apgar scores, time to sustained respiration and resuscitative measures required for the neonate were noted at delivery. Modified neonatal neurobehavioural studies and a retrospective assessment of maternal analgesia, satisfaction and tolerance were also carried out. Group mean values of pain scores of nalbuphine-medicated primiparous women were statistically significantly lower than those of pethidine-medicated patients (p < 0.01). Other assessments did not demonstrate a statistical significance between the two groups.