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Question
Can giving a pregnant woman an epidural once baby is out of bag and mother is 9cm cause the baby to have problems with their heart rate.
Hi there
You don't give me much to go on but as a rule the answer would be that there are many things that can affect a childs heart rate at that stage of delivery. Pressure on the babies head as it is pushed into the birth canal, problems with the cord etc can all have an effect. The epidural could have an effect if it caused the mothers blood pressure to fall.
So vaguely possible but many more likely causes.
Hope this helps
Dr Ian Jackson
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Answers by Expert:
Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based
Expertise
I am a Consultant Anaesthetist in the UK. My interests include ambulatory or day surgery, obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia, acute pain management (use of epidurals and patient controlled analgesia)anaesthesia for surgery on the airway, orthopaedics and most things except brains and hearts. Interest in prehospital care of trauma and provision of medical cover at motorsport events.
Experience
Organizations
European Society of Regional Anaesthesia
British Association of Day Surgery
Obstetric Anaesthetists Association
Association of Anaesthetists
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