Now more than ever, women can have more of a say when giving birth. Whether she wants to have a medicated birth, an unmedicated birth, or a planned cesarean birth, many choices are available to her, which is wonderful and empowering! (Of course, that’s assuming her pregnancy and labor are going well and that mom and baby are healthy.) The most popular option that laboring women are choosing today is an epidural.^4,5 As you probably know, an epidural can decrease or potentially eliminate the pain and discomfort women experience in labor.⁴ However — as we all know — epidurals are also a controversial topic because of their possible side effects. Some moms say they would never choose such a pain relief option, while others can’t imagine having a baby without it.

The number of women getting epidurals is steadily growing every generation. Currently, 60% of women in the U.S. are choosing an epidural. And at some hospitals, it can be as high as 90%.¹ As with any medical procedure, there are both benefits and risks. This article will cover the potential side effects of receiving an epidural.

Possible Side Effects After an Epidural

After receiving the steroid medication, you could experience some side effects, such as changes in bowel and bladder function, fever the night of injection, and severe arthritis of the hips (avascular necrosis).^2,3,6 Thankfully, these are all very rare, but we wanted to outline them for you because they’re still possible. Here are some of the other potential side effects of an epidural in more detail:²

• Severe headaches / dural puncture “wet tap”: A dural puncture occurs in only 0.5% of injections.⁷ It may cause a post-dural puncture headache (or spinal headache) that usually improves within a few days, though it can last for weeks or even several months.⁸
• Infection: According to the NHS, an infection can potentially develop around the skin next to the epidural site, but it usually doesn’t spread. Antibiotics would be administered, or (in more severe cases) you may have emergency surgery.⁶
• Back pain: Back pain may occasionally occur if many attempts are required to insert an epidural. The resulting tissue irritation can cause pain around the insertion site for a few days.^2,4
• Temporary nerve damage: While extremely rare, nerve damage can occur from direct trauma from the needle, the epidural tube, or an infection or bleeding. This can cause loss of feeling or movement in parts of the lower body. The most common symptoms are numbness, tingling, or weakness around the injection site that persists after an epidural has worn off. This usually gets better after a few days or weeks but can sometimes take months.^2,5,6
• Permanent nerve damage: In rare cases, an epidural can lead to permanent loss of feeling or movement in one or both legs. Some cases of paralysis have occurred. But again, this is extremely rare.^2,6

The Bottom Line

Overall, epidurals are a low-risk, nonsurgical option available to laboring women.² It may be something you’re considering for your labor and baby’s birth, or maybe you’re just researching and weighing your options. Either way, we want everyone to know there’s no “right” way to have a baby. So, whether you choose medicated or unmedicated, as long as you’ve done your research and it’s what you prefer, do what you feel is best for you and your baby. That’s what we call an empowered birth!