UTERINE ACTIVITY AND PLASMA BUPIVACAINE LEVELS AFTER CAUDAL EPIDURAL ANALGESIA

Abstract

Summary Uterine activity was measured in ten normal women in the active phase of labour before and after caudal epidural analgesia had been effected with bupivacaine. There was a small, statistically non‐significant, fall in uterine activity immediately following the induction of anaesthesia, but activity rose to or above pre‐anaesthetic levels within about 20 minutes; no correlation with plasma bupivacaine concentrations was observed.