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Trends in pain relief in labour: implications for obstetric analgesia service in Nigeria.

Labour and delivery result in severe pain for most women. Attention to comfort and analgesia for women in labour is important for physiological reasons and out of compassion. A review of common methods of pain relief of labour was done. Inhalation method as well as intravenous administration of opioids for pain relief in labour is fast giving way to lumbar epidural analgesia. The use of local anaesthetic in labour offers superior pain relief, is effective and safe. The inhalation and parenteral routes seem reserved for patients with contraindication to insertion of epidural. The administration of high volume dilute concentration of local anaesthetic plus lipid soluble opioids, with some level of patient's control, appears to be the current trend in the management of labour pains. There is a body of evidence indicating that Nigerian women may want pain relief in labour. However, there is no organised labour analgesia service in Nigeria. An organised obstetric analgesia service can be developed within the limits of available manpower and technology in an emerging country like Nigeria. This article therefore, focuses on trends in obstetric analgesia and its implications on the development of organised obstetric analgesia services in Nigeria. Key words: obstetric analgesia, obstetric analgesia service, Nigeria.