Intramuscular meperidine analgesia at the beginning of active phase shortens labor duration without adverse effects on obstetric lacerations

Abstract

The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of intramuscular meperidine on shortening of the active phase of labor, the neonatal outcome and the rate and severity of perineal lacerations in term pregnant women in the first stage of labor. A total of 571 primiparous term pregnant women delivered vaginally were included into this retrospective study. In 437 of them, meperidine (100 mg IM) at the beginning of the active phase was administered and 134 women did not receive any meperidine dose. The length of labor phases, obstetric lacerations, and neonatal outcomes were recorded. The results of this study showed that meperidine could be used safely as an obstetric analgesic with its additional benefit of shortening the active phase of the first stage and second stage of labor without increased risk of obstetric lacerations and perinatal adverse outcomes. In case of limited use of neuraxial analgesia in a busy state maternity hospital, intramuscular meperidine administration as obstetric analgesia seems beneficial in reducing the length of the active phase of the first stage of labor and the second stage of labor without adversely affecting obstetric lacerations and neonatal outcomes.