(HealthDay News) — An epidural is an injected anesthetic often used during labor and delivery to ease the pain of childbirth.
The Nemours Foundation mentions these possible risks of an epidural:
- Increased difficulty pushing during labor (although a doctor can adjust the medication to compensate for this).
- A drop in the mother’s blood pressure.
- Headache.
- Rarely, problems urinating for the mother.
- Some bleeding in the mother.
- Slow heartbeat in the fetus.