Use the gas to laugh at birth and what you need to know

During childbirth, common pain relief methods such as intravenous anesthesia or epidural anesthesia also cause pain and can carry certain risks. This makes many people think about using laughing gas at birth.

Laughter gas has long been used to relieve pain in dentistry, but the use of laughing gas at birth is probably still quite unfamiliar to everyone. So how effective is using laughing gas for labor? Does this method affect pregnant mothers and babies? Please join aFamilyToday Health to learn more in this article!

What is laughing gas?

Smoky gas, or nitrous oxide (N2O), is a colorless, tasteless gas. Smoky gas has analgesic effects, often used in dentistry to help patients relax more. Because it has no taste, it is easier to use laughing gas, especially for those who are worried that they will feel a strange taste in their mouth when inhaling some special gases.

Currently, in the United States, laughing gas is starting to be used again to control the pain of pregnant women during labor. Doctors have found that using laughing gas has fewer side effects than traditional methods of pain relief such as an epidural or intravenous anesthetic.

How is laughing gas used in obstetrics?

Unlike conventional pain relief methods such as epidural anesthesia , laughing gas helps relieve pain by making pregnant women relax and relax. It is often said that fear increases the pain many times. Smiling gas helps control and greatly reduces the anxiety of pregnant mothers, thereby reducing the pain many times. This is considered a less invasive and less painful method of pain relief for pregnant mothers.

In one study, when given two choices between epidural anesthesia and laugh gas, about 20% of pregnant mothers chose to use laughing gas. In which, 60% of cases can still continue the delivery process without any further anesthesia. Then, both groups, the epidural group and the laughing gas group, were asked to evaluate the pain relief effects of the chosen method. The laughing gas group had different assessments on the effectiveness of the gas in pain relief, but their satisfaction was higher than that of the epidural group.

One of the strengths of laughing gas is its ease of use, and the speed of its action. Most delivery rooms are equipped with a device to use laughing gas, a device that can deliver gas through a mask. Once the contractions begin, simply bring the mask to your face and breathe regularly as usual.

If you choose to apply this method, pregnant mothers will be recommended to start laughing about 30 seconds before the contractions take place. This helps the blood nitrogen oxide levels reach their peak at the same time the contractions are most intense. You can look at the fetal monitor or follow instructions from midwives to predict when contractions will start to occur.

Smoky gas can provide pain relief for a few minutes after use, many times faster than other medications and forms of pain relief in obstetrics, including epidural anesthesia. This can be a great temporary solution while waiting for the epidural or anesthesia to appear.

The smile gas generator is fixed to provide 50% oxygen and 50% nitrogen. If you are concerned about safety, please rest assured, this gas does not catch fire so it does not cause fire or explosion.

In what stage of labor is laughing gas used?

Unlike other pain relief methods, laughing gas can be used in all stages of labor. Therefore, this is a great option when you need quick pain relief. You can use laughing gas early before anesthesia or during transition phases, when there is no time to perform epidural or intravenous anesthesia because of the risks.

In addition, you can also use laughing gas during laboring or placenta. Nitrogen oxide can also be used during uterine contractions and complete expulsion of the placenta or when a manual uterine probe is performed by an obstetrician. These are two stages where you will feel the pain greatly increase due to the relevant medical procedures, especially without an epidural.

You can use laughing gas for extra support for an epidural. Some people also use this during an epidural to reduce fear and stress.

Side effects of laughing gas in obstetrics

There have been no reported side effects of the use of laughing gas at birth. In fact, this form of pain relief does not change anything during cesarean section or assisted delivery with forceps forceps or obstetric aspiration. They do not seem to affect the duration of labor.

Another reason pregnant mothers choose to use laughing gas at birth is the way they affect their activities during labor. Laugh gas has no anesthetic effect, so when using this gas, you can still freely move and choose the most comfortable position for yourself. You can maintain a comfortable posture while using the laughing gas. In addition, some units of the nitrous oxide supply are portable, so you can also get around while using the gas.

Many hospitals do not place too many restrictions on pregnant mothers choosing to use laughing gas at birth. However, be cautious about starting to use laughing gas as it can cause a loss of balance. You may need someone's help to make sure you are stable and comfortable while using this gas. Sometimes pregnant mothers also hope to use laughing gas when giving birth underwater . If you want to do this, you should talk to your doctor to find the safest and most appropriate method.

Contraindications to using laughing gas at birth

There are two cases that are contraindicated to use laughing gas at birth: pregnant mothers who have had surgery in the ear at the time of birth and pregnant mothers have vitamin B12 deficiency. The risk of problems for pregnant women with vitamin B12 deficiency is noted when using nitrous oxide as an anesthetic, not as an analgesic. However, we should still be cautious when using them during childbirth for these subjects.

Side effects of gas laugh on the fetus

There are no known side effects in the infant, nor has there been any evidence of the risk of pregnancy failure like some other drugs when using laughing gas. Laughter does not affect the child's alertness. As a result, your breastfeeding soon after birth will be virtually unaffected.

Side effects of the gas laugh on pregnant mothers

Most mothers who use a smiling atmosphere during labor are very satisfied with the results that this method brings. As you probably know, no medical procedure or medication is completely harmless, however, not everyone experiences these unwanted side effects. Although most pregnant mothers only talk about the feeling of relaxation between contractions when using laughing gas, some pregnant women report nausea, dizziness and drowsiness after using laughing gas. However, these side effects last only for a short time and will quickly disappear after use is stopped.

If you want to use this method at birth, what should pregnant women do?

Before applying any medical intervention, pregnant mothers need to consult their doctor to see if they are suitable to implement these supportive methods or not. Also, ask your doctor if their hospital is using a method of using laughing gas at birth. If not, you may need to use other methods to assist with pain relief during labor.

Using laughing gas at birth is a highly effective pain reliever with minimal side effects for both mother and baby. This method can be used in conjunction with epidural anesthesia to help increase the effectiveness of the anesthesia process. However, in some cases, pregnant women are contraindicated or are at risk of side effects when using nitrous oxide, so consult your doctor if you want to take supportive measures. this at birth.