Intrapartum Epidural Fentanyl and Breast-feeding in the Immediate Postpartum Period: a Prospective Cohort Study

Intrapartum epidural analgesia has been associated with adverse breastfeeding outcomes. One potential mechanism involves transfer of epidural fentanyl across the placenta and neonatal blood-brain barrier, where it can subsequently attenuate neonatal exhibition of feeding behaviors, such as latching and swallowing, during the immediate postpartum period. Vigorous feeding behavior during the first days of life is a significant predictor of long-term breastfeeding success at 3 and 6 months. In a randomized, controlled, double-blinded study, neonatal Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Scores (NACS) were significantly lower when mothers received >150 mcg epidural fentanyl versus bupivacaine-only analgesia, and mean umbilical cord fentanyl concentration was significantly higher in the >150 mcg versus <150 mcg group.

The investigators hypothesize that epidural fentanyl-bupivacaine analgesia is significantly associated with decreased breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge and with neonatal deficits in latching onto the breast and swallowing during the first three hours of life, and that a significant dose-response relationship exists with respect to total micrograms fentanyl infused.

The investigators will perform a prospective cohort study of all parturients age 18+ at UHCMC over a three-month period, excluding those with multiples gestation, Cesarean section, or neonatal intensive care unit admission. From patient charts, the investigators will record the following variables: number of neonates delivered; type of delivery (spontaneous vaginal / operative vaginal / Cesarean section); whether the neonate was admitted to the intensive care unit; the mother's age, height, weight, gravity, parity, intention to breast-feed at the time of hospital admission, number of children previously breast-fed, and ethnicity; gestational age at the time of delivery; administration of oxytocin for labor augmentation and in what quantity; duration of active labor; antibiotic administration; neonatal APGAR scores at 1 and 5 minutes postpartum; and whether opioids or antibiotics were administered before and/or after the delivery and at what exact time. We will also record whether each patient received an epidural during labor and, if so, the duration of this epidural infusion and the total micrograms fentanyl delivered; neonatal feeding behavior as quantified by the LATCH scores assigned to each breast-feeding interaction that occurs on the postpartum care floor; whether the mother is breast-feeding her baby at the time of discharge from the hospital, and if not, then her primary reason for not doing so (as communicated during the standard postpartum lactation consultation); and how long mother and baby stayed in the hospital post-delivery.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Breast Feeding; Fentanyl; Nalbuphine; Maternal Anaesthesia and Analgesia Affecting Fetus or Newborn; Bupivacaine

• Study Type: Observational

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Cleveland, Ohio, United States
      • University Hospital Case Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Parturients who deliver a single live neonate at UHCMC between February 2012 and June 2012

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 18 or over

Exclusion Criteria:

• multiples gestation
• Cesarean section
• neonatal intensive care unit admission

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Recipients of intrapartum epidural analgesia
Non-recipients of intrapartum epidural analgesia

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Neonatal deficiency in latching on to the breast and/or audibly swallowing during feeding	Measured by the standardized LATCH scoring system	First 5 hours postpartum

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Likelihood of breast-feeding at the time of hospital discharge, either exclusively or with bottle supplementation	Time of discharge from hospital (on average, 2 days)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ashley L Szabo, M.D., University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Baumgarder DJ, Muehl P, Fischer M, Pribbenow B. Effect of labor epidural anesthesia on breast-feeding of healthy full-term newborns delivered vaginally. J Am Board Fam Pract. 2003 Jan-Feb;16(1):7-13. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.16.1.7.
• Beilin Y, Bodian CA, Weiser J, Hossain S, Arnold I, Feierman DE, Martin G, Holzman I. Effect of labor epidural analgesia with and without fentanyl on infant breast-feeding: a prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Anesthesiology. 2005 Dec;103(6):1211-7. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200512000-00016.
• Henderson JJ, Dickinson JE, Evans SF, McDonald SJ, Paech MJ. Impact of intrapartum epidural analgesia on breast-feeding duration. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2003 Oct;43(5):372-7. doi: 10.1046/j.0004-8666.2003.t01-1-00117.x.
• Wiklund I, Norman M, Uvnas-Moberg K, Ransjo-Arvidson AB, Andolf E. Epidural analgesia: breast-feeding success and related factors. Midwifery. 2009 Apr;25(2):e31-8. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2007.07.005. Epub 2007 Nov 5.
• Jensen D, Wallace S, Kelsay P. LATCH: a breastfeeding charting system and documentation tool. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 1994 Jan;23(1):27-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.1994.tb01847.x.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: February 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): June 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Anticipated): June 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 5, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 6, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): December 8, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 18, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 13, 2022
• Last Verified: April 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Fentanyl; Bupivacaine; Nalbuphine
• Other Study ID Numbers: epidural fentanyl