Opioids

Description

Various opioids can be used to lessen pain during labor. They can be injected into a muscle or given through an intravenous (IV) catheter.

Pros

Opioids promote rest. Most take effect within minutes. An anesthesiologist is not needed to administer these medications.

Cons

Opioids don't completely eliminate labor pain and typically don't work for pain experienced during delivery. They commonly cause nausea, vomiting and drowsiness. These medications can affect your newborn's breathing and cause your baby to be drowsy, which might interfere with initial breast-feeding.