Neonatal Outcome with Magnesium Sulphate and Fentanyl as Adjuvants for Epidural Labour Analgesia: A Prospective Comparative Study

Introduction: The pain of childbirth is arguably the most severe pain most women endure in their lifetime. Since pain relief in labor has always been surrounded by myths and controversies, providing effective and safe analgesia during labor has remained an ongoing challenge. Neuraxial techniques are accepted as the gold standard for intrapartum labor analgesia. The study aimed to determine the neonatal outcome with magnesium sulfate and fentanyl as adjuvant for epidural labor analgesia. Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted at the Department of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Palliative and Intensive Care Medicine in collaboration with the obstetric department, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka.Bangladesh. The study was carried out from October 2020 to March 2021. A total of 60 patients were assigned by computer-generated random table to one group (Group A) and another group (Group B). Group-A (n=30): Group-A received Fentanyl 25 micrograms as adjuvant to bupivacaine (0.5% plain bupivacaine 2.5 ml+25 microgram of fentanyl 0.005% 0.5 ml + 7 ml normal saline=10 ml) via epidural catheter. Group B received MgSO4 50 mg as an adjuvant to bupivacaine (0.5% plain bupivacaine 2.5 ml + 50 mg of MgSO4 10% 0.5 ml +7 ml normal saline=10 ml) via epidural catheter. Data were statistically described in terms of mean ± standard deviation (±SD), or frequencies (number of cases) and percentages when appropriate. Comparison of numerical variables between the study groups was done using the Student t-test for independent samples. For comparing categorical data, a Chi-square (x2) test was performed. P values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. F-value was determined by the Repeated measured ANOVA test where data were repeated more than one time. All statistical calculations were done using the computer program SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) version 22 for Microsoft Windows. Informed written consent ......