CODE 2 Nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide was administered to a female for pain relief during the labour and/or birth. Nitrous oxide is a gas providing light anaesthesia delivered in various concentrations with oxygen. CODE 4 Epidural or caudal block An epidural or caudal block was administered to a female for pain relief during the labour and/or birth. An epidural block is an injection of a local anaesthetic into the epidural space of the spinal column. A caudal block is an injection of a local anaesthetic agent into the caudal portion of the spinal canal through the sacrum. CODE 5 Spinal block A spinal block was administered to a female for pain relief during the labour and/or birth. A spinal block is an injection of an analgesic drug or anaesthetic drug into the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord, also called the Subarachnoid Block Anaesthesia. CODE 6 Systemic opioids Systemic opioids were administered to a female for pain relief during the labour and/or birth. This includes intramuscular and intravenous opioids. CODE 7 Combined spinal-epidural block A combined spinal-epidural block was administered to a female for pain relief during the labour and/or birth. A combined spinal-epidural block is a needle-through-needle injection of an analgesic drug or anaesthetic drug into both the epidural space and the subarachnoid space of the spinal column. The spinal-epidural block combines the benefits of rapid action of a spinal block and the flexibility of an epidural block. An epidural catheter inserted during the technique enables the provision of long-lasting analgesia with the ability to titrate the dose for the desired effect. CODE 88 Other analgesia Other analgesia (not indicated above) was administered to a female for pain relief during the labour and/or birth. This includes all non-narcotic oral analgesia and non-pharmacological methods such as hypnosis, acupuncture, massage, relaxation techniques, temperature regulation and aromatherapy. |