Effect of Epidural Analgesia on Labour, Neonatal and Maternal Outcomes.

Using an aseptic technique while the patient is in sitting position, an epidural catheter was placed at the L2-L3 or L3-L4 interspace. Analgesia was established with the epidural administration of a low dose of local anaesthetic, plus a lipid-soluble opioid (ropivacaine 0.1% and sufentanyl 0.5%, 20 mL). Analgesia was maintained with a top-up regimen, using intermittent manual epidural boluses of increasing concentrations of ropivacaine, with up to 0.15% at full dilation, according to specific needs of individual participants.