QuestionPlease tell me where you got the statistic of a 1400% greater risk of fever with an epidural? I'm looking to do a talk with our local ICAN group and that would be a helpful stat to pass along if you can show the study/article where you found it! Thank you!!!
AnswerI don't recall quoting a 1400% risk. Here is some of the information I have found:
A June 1997 study published in the Journal of Family Practice found that women receiving an epidural were 233% more likely to experience intrapartum fever as women without an epidural (28% of epidural users vs. 12% of non-epidurals). The same study found that women with epidurals had labors lasting an average of 6 hours longer.
A 1995 study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology positively identified epidural anesthesia as an independent risk factor for intrapartum fever.
A 2001 study, also published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, found that intrapartum fever rates increased by 1830% (from 0.6% to 11%) when on-demand epidural rates increased from 1% to 83%.
There are a number of other similar studies, some which also studied other variables such as placental inflammation, neonatal sepsis workup results, etc. Overall, the findings generally suggest a greatly increased risk of fever in the presence of epidural anesthesia.
Good luck with your upcoming talk.
