International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 2025
Investigating disparity in labor epidural analgesia management in black vs. white women: a retrospective case-control study (2018-2022).
Disparities in labor epidural analgesia (LEA) management could reduce maternal satisfaction and increase risk. We compared times from the first administration of breakthrough pain medication (top-up) to LEA replacement to evaluate disparities across race. ⋯ We didn't detect disparity in treatment at our institution with standardized LEA management protocols. However, Black women and those with LEA replacements were less satisfied. Future studies should evaluate the generalizability and explore interventions that improve patient satisfaction.