I want to make it compulsory for midwives to tell you about all risks that come with any forms of pain relief, no matter how big or small and to give pregnant women the full understanding. The epidural is such a common form of pain relief used in child birth and has so many risks but most are not known. Women are agreeing to have the epidural while in labour without knowing the risks and side effects that can take place. Pregnant women, including myself tend to agree to every pain relief available for them without knowing the full risks due to unbearable pain. The most common known risk of epidural is becoming paralysed but this isn’t the only risk, there is also a risk of blood pressure loss and many more. I want midwives to make it mandatory to complete a signed form with pregnant women to discuss pain relief options. This will then give women an opportunity to discuss in depth options and give them a full understanding of what’s available to them. Whilst in labour it becomes a blur and you could potentially be agreeing to something you wouldn’t decide to have if you was in the correct frame of mind. I am fighting for women to be made aware by our health care professionals because I nearly lost my life and missed out on my sons life and all of his firsts.

I was not made aware of the risk of decreased blood pressure because the risk was so low. I had a ‘test dose’ of the epidural which is 10ml and from that my blood pressure dropped drastically and put my body into cardiac arrest. I am one in about 10,000 people this has happened to. You never think you’re going to be that 1 in 10,000 but I was!!

Women please make it known of the pain relief you want and don’t want so you can gain a full understanding of what’s available to you and the risks it can also bring, because whilst in labour you will agree to absolutely anything, understandably.

My story:
I was due to have my baby boy on the 26th of December 2021 however due to too much fluid and a big baby boy I had a booked inducement date for the 14th of December 2021. On the 14th my back waters broke and I was 3cm dilated, the next day I was moved up to the labour ward to help speed up the process where I was then put on a drip to start contractions. I had my front waters broke. Contractions were getting very strong and I was struggling with the pain, I was offered gas and air (which I didn’t like and made me feel sick) so I then agreed to
the pethidine (which made no difference at all to me personally) following that was the epidural. I was only told about a couple of risks at the time (I can’t remember any and just agreed because I was in a lot of pain ) however I was not told about the risk of decreased blood pressure. My partner was holding me up while the epidural was performed and after seconds of having it I made it clear I had a headache then following that my body went into cardiac arrest and was lifeless as well as my unborn baby boy. The medication I should have received to increase my blood pressure was not on the hospital trolly and a nurse had to run and get it to which I then had 5 minutes of chest compressions. At this time best option was working on getting my baby out to save him. They performed an emergency c section in the labour ward due to limited time and not being able to get me to the theatre quick enough. My son was born not breathing and was placed on a resuscitation machine. Thankfully my son started breathing. They then began working back on me and injected me with adrenaline. This brought me back. However I was placed into an induced coma and was put on multiple tubes to help me breath and then placed in ICU. I was woken from my coma eventually and began breathing on my own and finally met my beautiful little boy.

I missed out on everything I had ever dreamed off. When you find out you’re becoming a mum. I didn’t get to hear that first cry. I didn’t get to watch my partner cut the cord. I didn’t get to give my baby boy his first feed or placing him in his first outfit that we spend hours packing and repacking into our hospital bag. All because I said yes to the epidural without knowing I had agreed or the risks that could take place.

I can not fault the NHS at all and will be forever grateful for saving me and my baby boy!
But I feel like it’s extremely important for women to be made aware of every risk of the pain relief that’s available to them. Please sign to make it compulsory for a midwife session to be made highlighting all about the risks of pain relief especially one with life changing effects like the epidural!