New anesthesia procedure for painless labor unveiled

JAKARTA (JP): Doctors here are introducing a new anesthesia technique which would allow expectant mothers to have natural childbirth with less, perhaps even no, pain.

Doctors hope the introduction of the new procedure will help reduce the number of mothers who opt for a caesarean section due to their fear of suffering pain during labor.

It is said that the pain-reducing anesthesia will suppress the strain during labor but still allow a mother to remain conscious, thus allowing her still to feel natural contractions.

The procedure, called Intrathecal Labor Analgesia (ILA), has actually been in limited use in hospitals here since last year; however anesthesiologists hope that it can be more widely used in all hospitals and maternity clinics.

Gunawarman Basuki, chairman of the Indonesian Society of Anesthesiologists (IDSAI), maintained that the procedure "has no damaging impact on mothers or the newborn".

Speaking at a media briefing here on Tuesday to publicize the anesthetic procedure, Gunawan, however, conceded that there remained some controversy regarding the method, pointing to those who believe that painless labor violates the natural order and even some faiths that believe that women are supposed to feel some pain while giving birth.

Anesthetist Susilo revealed that the ILA technique, via an injection at the intrathecal spine, can effectively block part of the brain related to pain awareness for about 12 hours, without disabling the mother's motoric nerves.

Based on his research on 62 patients at a privately run maternity clinic in Jakarta between July and November 2000, no evident side effects were found.

"It's relatively easy and costs only one quarter of what caesarean surgery can cost the patient," he added. (bby)