dr. tali bogler, chair of family medicine obstetrics at
st. michael’s hospital
, explained that when a pregnant person is in a lot of pain and anxious, it can be challenging to see a delivery progress.
“overall, people are often anxious when they are pregnant and the last thing they want to know is they are not going to get the care they need and the pain relief they need,” she said.
nitrous oxide used the be quite common for childbirth, according to pregnancy info centre
what to expect
. back in the first half of the 1900s, it was used first on its own, then in conjunction with narcotic drugs used for pain relief. by the 1950s and ’60s, nursing and midwifery professor dr. michelle collins
told stat news
, the norm became drugs that put people to sleep: childbirth essentially meant waking up with a baby in your arms. by the ’70s, epidurals were more common because they allowed birthing people to get relief from pain, yet stay alert during the birth.
laughing gas is now sometimes thought of as harmful in a similar way to those narcotic drugs — but when it’s used on its own without other drugs, it’s much safer.
that’s not to say it’s definitely the right choice for everyone. the relief it provides is significantly less than an epidural, for instance. “
some women may not respond to the medication at all or very minimally,” obstetrician and gynecologist dr. jennifer butt told parents. it can also cause drowsiness, nausea or vomiting. for various reasons, nitrous oxide may not be safe for people with sleep apnea or people who have had inner ear or gastric bypass surgery. it also lowers a patient’s b12 levels, so it’s not a great option for anyone who already has a vitamin b12 deficiency.