American journal of perinatology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The effects of epidural opioids on fetal heart rate variability when coadministered with 0.25% bupivacaine for labor analgesia.
Assessment of fetal heart rate (FHR) variability provides important information regarding fetal well-being. Normal FHR variability is generally associated with fetal normoxia. Opioids are frequently co-administered with local anesthetics to provide epidural analgesia for labor. ⋯ There was no difference in long-term variability in any group receiving opioids as compared to control. There was no difference in the change in long-term variability after induction of epidural analgesia. The addition of butorphanol, fentanyl, or sufentanil to epidural bupivacaine (0.25%) does not-change FHR short- or long-term variability.