Nitrous Oxide as Pain Relief for Women in Labor

Abstract

Labor and childbirth can be a very frightening and anxious time in a woman’s life. Pain is considered a normal, natural and expected part of childbirth and for that reason, it is vitally important to provide women access to different approaches to pain management. Healthcare professionals must be aware of all the options available to women for pain management because it is crucial that women feel they have a choice in what they use for their body. While every woman will experience pain differently, they should be able to have a choice of which measures they use to cope with the pain and demands of labor and they should understand the basic physiology behind why they are experiencing pain. “Pain is defined as ‘an unpleasant sensation caused by noxious stimulation of the sensory nerve endings’ or ‘as a state in which an individual experiences and reports the presence of severe discomfort or an uncomfortable sensation” (Lennon, 2018, p.637).