Impact of epidural analgesia during labor on breastfeeding initiation and continuation: a retrospective study

Objective:Although epidural analgesia is widely used during labor, its impact on breastfeeding has not yet reached a consensus. This retrospective cohort study was to investigate the association of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) during labor with breastfeeding initiation and continuation. Methods:Medical records from 1 February, 2016 to 31 December, 2016 at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, China were reviewed for women received PCEA or not. Breastfeeding continuation was assessed by a questionnaire at 6 months after hospital discharge. Results:Nine hundred twenty-two women were enrolled in the study, with 527 of these women received PCEA for labor analgesia. The proportion of timely initiation of breastfeeding (within 1 h after birth), and exclusive or partial breastfeeding at any of the evaluation time points (1, 3, and 6 months) between two groups showed no statistically significant difference. Conclusion:Our data do not support an association between the PCEA and discontinuation of breastfeeding within 6 months postpartum.