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Labor Pain

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Epidural Labor Analgesia

Abstract

The pain experienced in labor by women has been described by some as the worst pain ever experienced [1]. Pain perception during labor changes in intensity and nature as labor progresses, and this is associated with the behavioral changes in the laboring woman. However, these behavioral changes are not uniform, suggesting that the perception and intensity of the pain may be modulated by various emotional factors. This chapter will discuss the basics relating to the transmission of pain signals from the periphery to the central nervous system as well as discuss the changing nature of labor pain. The ways in which labor pain perception can be measured and modulated will also be discussed.

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Liu, YM., Fernando, R., Mon, W.Y. (2015). Labor Pain. In: Capogna, G. (eds) Epidural Labor Analgesia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13890-9_3

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