'Walking epidural' blocks labor pain.

A technique called combined spinal-epidural (CSE) analgesia eliminates early labor discomfort in a fraction of the time of conventional labor drugs and does so without impairing a woman's ability to walk around in the birthing suite if she chooses, according to researchers from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. New York. Nicknamed the "walking epidural," it selectively blocks only the nerves supplying the abdominal region, allowing allowing the woman to be awake and comfortable during childbirth.

"Until recently, pregnant women opting for pain relief during early labor had two choices: total pain relief with leg numbness or incomplete pain relief without leg numbness," explains anesthesiologist David J. Birnbach. "CSE totally blocks pain during the first three hours after placement, often the most painful hours, but without any of the body numbness of conventional labor analgesia."

Pain relief with CSE begins in less than two minutes, compared to 20 minutes with traditional labor medications. By allowing the woman to continue walking rather than conferring her to bed during the entire labor, the technique helps reduce boredom and anxiety. CSE may be especially attractive to first-time mothers, who commonly experience severe pain during the first few hours of labor

After numbing the skin with a local anesthetic, the anesthesiologist...