LAUGHING THROUGH LABOR?

"It works in three ways, it reduces the pain that a woman feels, it also makes her feel more relaxed and also makes the pain less bothersome."

Sarah Starr, Vanderbilt Medical Center　

LAUGHING GAS FOR LABOR PAIN?

BIRTHING HISTORY: Most women today give birth under heavy supervision in hospitals costing thousands of dollars. During the 17th and 18th century, the process of childbirth was different. Women were assisted by a midwife whom was much older and relied heavily on practical experience for delivering babies. No painkillers were given to women in pain during childbirth, except for alcohol. Then during the mid-half of the 18th century middle class women were requesting physicians assuming that the physician could make childbirth safer and less painful. Then in 1847, ether and chloroform were introduced to relieve pain in childbirth. By the 1920s, the use of anesthesia during childbirth was almost universal. (www.digitalhistory.uh.edu)

NITROUS OXIDE: Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, was discovered in 1772 by Humphrey Davy. He recommended that it be used as an anesthetic for minor surgery after having experimenting with the gas to get rid of the pain of a toothache and infection. (www.chemheritage.org )

HOW IT WORKS: Nitrous oxide can only be used for short periods of time because the lack of oxygen in pure N2O can lead to unconsciousness and even death. However, depending on its purpose, the oxygen to nitrous oxide ratio varies. In medicine, sometimes 50 percent oxygen to 50 percent nitrous oxide is used. This is known as entonox, or commonly, gas and air.

The gas works very rapidly. It reaches the brain within 20 seconds and relaxation and pain-killing properties develop after two to three minutes.

Four levels of sedation can be reached depending on how much of the laughing gas is administered. First, a tingling sensation in the arms and legs; then warm sensations; a feeling of well-being or floating; and a deeper level, sleepiness and difficulty keeping the eyes open or dreaming can occur. Should nausea set in, then the patient is definitely over sedated. (www.dentalfearcentral.org)