Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Toppel Family Place is now offering nitrous oxide as a pain management tool during labor. The blend of 50 percent oxygen with 50 percent nitrous oxide can be used on its own; or in combination with other forms of pain control such as epidural anesthesia. Nitrous oxide works by decreasing the sensation of pain and interfering with a patient’s stress response to reduce anxiety.
The nitrous oxide is self-administered and can be used during all stages of labor. A face mask or mouthpiece is held by the patient and she has the ability to control intake until a safe maximum level has been reached. Relief can be felt within a couple minutes. It can be stopped quickly, leaves the body within approximately five minutes and the patient can still choose another pain relief aid.
“Toppel Family Place continues to evolve its capabilities to better meet the needs of our patients,” said Karen Edlington, RN, BSc, Director of Toppel Family Place. “Childbirth should be one of a woman’s most cherished memories. We are continuously focused on making sure our new mothers are comfortable and have access to the latest innovations during labor.”
The use of nitrous oxide does not interfere with the mother’s labor progress or her ability to push. It can be used at any time during labor right up to the point of birth.
Patients with B12 deficiency, Crohn’s disease, musculoskeletal disease and other conditions would be excluded from using nitrous oxide.
About Toppel Family Place
Toppel Family Place delivers about 1,800 babies each year and has come to be recognized for its award-winning services and family-centered care. Its maternity unit houses a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), staffed by Level III-trained nurses and respiratory therapists, and has board-certified neonatologists specializing in the care of high-risk infants onsite 24 hours a day. Unique to Toppel is their mother/baby nursing care, in which the same nurses and medical professionals care for both mother and baby.
About Boca Raton Regional Hospital – Advancing the boundaries of medicine.
Boca Raton Regional Hospital is an advanced, tertiary medical center (BRRH.com) with 400 beds, 2,800 employees and more than 800 primary and specialty physicians on staff. The Hospital is a recognized leader in Oncology, Cardiovascular Disease and Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Orthopedics, Women’s Health, Emergency Medicine and the Neurosciences, all of which offer state-of-the-art diagnostic and imaging capabilities. The Hospital is a designated Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). BRRH is recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 – 2019 Best Hospitals listing as a Top Ranked Regional Hospital, for the fourth consecutive year, and the highest ranked hospital in Palm Beach County.
