Journal of midwifery & women's health
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J Midwifery Womens Health · Sep 2011
Maternal temperature elevation and occiput posterior position at birth among low-risk women receiving epidural analgesia.
To evaluate the relationship between maternal temperature elevation and occiput posterior position at birth as well as the association of fetal head position and temperature elevation on method of birth among women receiving epidural analgesia. ⋯ Intrapartum temperature elevation among women receiving epidural analgesia, even if only to 99.6°F (37.6°C), is associated with approximately a 2-fold increase in the occurrence of occiput posterior fetal head position at birth. Additionally, although this observational study cannot establish causal links, our findings suggest that the relationship between epidural-related intrapartum temperature elevation and occiput posterior position at birth could contribute to an increased cesarean birth rate among women receiving epidural analgesia for pain relief in labor.