The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
Labour pain relief (epidural)
EPIDURAL ANAESTHESIA
An epidural is a type of local anaesthetic that can give pain relief to women during childbirth
What is an endometrial ablation?
An epidural is commonly used to give pain relief during childbirth. It is a type of local anaesthetic which is injected into your spine to numb the nerves in your womb and cervix that send pain signals to your brain. It can help during a long, complicated or especially painful labour.
Need to know
An anaesthetist will ask you to lie on your side or curl up in a seated position. Your back will be cleaned then numbed with a local anaesthetic. They'll insert a needle into your back. A very thin tube called a catheter will be threaded through the needle and taped to your back. The anaesthetic is injected through it and can be topped up during labour.
Your baby's heart rate and contractions will be continuously monitored. How much you can move your legs after having the epidural depends on the type of drugs used. We also offer 'mobile epidurals' which provide pain relief but you can still walk around and move.
Prior to the birth you will speak to your consultant or midwife about your choices for pain relief during labour. They'll let you know what to expect and exactly what's involved.
Like all procedures, there may be some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you. At The Portland Hospital, we have 24-hour cover provided by a resident consultant obstetric anaesthetist should you need epidural pain relief during labour.
After having the catheter inserted, this can be used to top up your pain relief throughout labour. After the drugs are stopped, it can take a couple of hours for the numbness to wear off.
Your skin may have a tingling sensation as the anaesthetic wears off. Your back may feel a bit sore where your catheter was inserted. You'll be able to breastfeed your baby following your epidural.
Our Labour pain relief (epidural) locations
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.