Efficacy of Low Dose Morphine Combined with Ropivacaine for Epidural Analgesia During Labor

OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy of low dose morphine combined with ropivacaine for epidural analgesia during labor. METHODS One hundred pregnancy nulliparous parturients were randomly divided into observation group and control group. Pregnancy nulliparous parturients in observation group received 0.1% ropivacaine combined with 0.1 mg·mL^-1 morphine and those in control group received 0.1% ropivacaine combined with 4μg·mL^-1 fentanyl for epidural analgesia. The onset time of analgesia, duration of analgesia, labor duration, delivery mode, analgesia efficacy, blood pressure and side effects were recorded. Apgar scores of neonate were assessed and umbilical arterial blood was collected to analysis. RESULTS The onset time of analgesia was longer in observation group than that in the control group, while the duration of analgesia was longer than control group(P<0.05). Numerical rating scale(NRS) was lower than that before analgesia in both groups(P<0.01). There were no significant differences in terms of labor duration, Bromage scores, labor mode, pH of umbilical arterial blood and Apgar score between two groups during labor. No parturients had serious side effects in both groups. CONCLUSION Low dose morphine combined with ropivacaine has slow onset time and long duration of analgesia, and good analgesic effect, but not affect labor duration without increasing side effects during labor.