A Comparative Study of Apgar Score and Neonatal Dysrhythmia in Painless Delivery and Natural Childbirth

Effective pain relief supports both the mother and fetus against many stressors associated with labor pain, which can have adverse effects on both. This study was conducted to determine Apgar scores and neonatal dysrhythmia in painless delivery compared with natural childbirth. The current study was conducted as a cross-sectional investigation of 213 hospital records of pregnant women (2020-2022) who underwent natural childbirth and painless delivery using a combination of two drugs: 25 µg of fentanyl and 25 mg of pethidine. Data were extracted from both groups using a checklist that included maternal age, infant sex, gravidity, parity, gestational age, birth weight, duration of labor, number of previous cesarean sections, mode of delivery, neonatal Apgar score, and dysrhythmia. In this study, 49.3% delivered painlessly, whereas 50.7% experienced natural childbirth. The mean Apgar score for infants born to mothers who underwent natural childbirth was 9.81±0.53, whereas that for infants born to mothers who experienced painless delivery was 9.93±0.53. Despite the higher Apgar scores in infants delivered using painless methods, this increase was not statistically significant. No cases of dysrhythmia were observed in either group. Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that there were no significant differences in neonatal outcomes, specifically Apgar scores and dysrhythmia, between the two groups. Therefore, it can be stated that painless delivery may be the preferred method of childbirth for pregnant women who have a fear of labor pain.