Table 2.
Drugs for initiation of neuraxial labor analgesia
| Initiation of analgesia | Epidural analgesiaa | Spinal analgesia |
|---|---|---|
| Local anestheticsb | ||
| Bupivacaine | 0.0625%–0.125% | 1.25–2.5 mg |
| Ropivacaine | 0.08%–0.2% | 2.5–4.5 mg |
| Levobupivacaine | 0.0625%–0.125% | 2.5–4.5 mg |
| Opioidsb | ||
| Fentanyl | 50–100 μg | 15–25 μg |
| Sufentanil | 5–10 μg | 1.5–5 μg |
a
The volume required to initiate epidural labor analgesia is 5 to 15 mL of local anesthetic solution.
b
The local anesthetic dose/concentration and the fentanyl or sufentanil dose are reduced if the drugs are combined, or if a local anesthetic-containing epidural test dose is administered before the initiation dose.