Epidurals in childbirth: To give or not to give?

Giving women a type of epidural jab to relieve pain in the early stages of labour does not increase the odds of a &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/main/18/90/359/13144_birth.html ' target=_blank>Caesarean section, research suggests. Previous research had suggested the numbing effect of the painkiller affected a woman's ability to push and that led to more Caesarean deliveries.

But research on 750 &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/society/2001/03/30/3234.html' target=_blank>pregnant women in Chicago found no increased risk from a low-dose jab called a spinal-epidural. Lead researcher Dr Cynthia Wong said it showed more women should get the jabs, says the BBC News.