Jupiter Medical Center announced that it has begun offering nitrous oxide as a pain relief option to laboring mothers in the delivery room.
Nitrous oxide, when used to combat labor pain, is a mixture of 50% nitrous gas and 50% oxygen. It is delivered through Pro-Nox, a pneumatically driven gas system that is controlled by the patient as they hold their own mask and inhale the gas mixture about 30 seconds prior to a contraction to combat labor pain and anxiety.
Widely used in dental offices and known as “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide has long been available in Europe for pain relief during labor. Now approved by the FDA, it is being implemented in hospitals across the United States, including Jupiter Medical Center – the first in the region to bring nitrous oxide into the delivery room.
The use of nitrous oxide does not preclude the placement of an epidural. Some women may use nitrous oxide prior to having an epidural. While they can’t be used concurrently, it is perfectly fine to use nitrous oxide first and then move to a different type of pain relief if needed.
Additionally, there are no known effects on the baby. Nitrous oxide is the only pain relief method used for labor that is cleared from the body through your lungs, so as soon as the patient pulls the mask away, the nitrous oxide effect is gone within a breath or two. While some women have reported mild nausea after prolonged use, there is medication to help ease the nausea as needed. Finally, the use of nitrous oxide can cause some unsteadiness in patients when getting in and out of bed and so, it is recommended that patients not be left unattended.
