http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-21/nasal-spray-developed-for-women-in-labour/7103034
Women could soon have the option of using a nasal spray for pain relief during childbirth following recent trials by an Adelaide-based midwifery researcher.
Dr Julie Fleet from the University of South Australia has found nasal spray with the painkiller drug fentanyl is effective as pethidine injections which are commonly used in childbirth.
Fentanyl is commonly used as a nasal spray for pain relief in children because it is less invasive and does not require needles.
Dr Fleet said the spray had fewer side effects for both mother and baby.
“The current method of pain relief that women will get as an injection is using a drug called pethidine,” she said.
“It’s quite an old drug, it takes quite a while to take effect and then it can stay in the mother and baby’s system for an extended period of time.
“The fentanyl acts more quickly and works faster, it’s just as effective in the pain relief, but is less likely to cause the side effects.”
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