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The Use Of Nitrous Oxide In The Management Of Labor Pain: Safet And Effiacy, Jennifer Ruth Christensen

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: All women will experience pain while going through childbirth. The pain is caused by pressure and stretching on the uterus and visceral organs, lack of oxygen during uterine contractions, and musculoskeletal and perineal stretching. Difficulty coping with pain leads to an increase in catecholamines, which further complicates the labor process and can contribute to long term psychological consequences. Up to 75% of women in other countries use nitrous oxide, a colorless odorless gas, to manage their labor pain. In the United States, the options for managing labor pain have consisted of non-pharmacological methods such as massage, breathing and relaxation …