Meperidine (Demerol) as an opioid analgesic relieves pain of labour but there are superior agents. Furthermore it passes to the fetus and has a particularly long time before elimination. It persists in the neonate and thus interferes with adaptation to extrauterine life and adversely affects breast feeding. Because there are superior choices for analgesia without these adverse effects, meperidine should not be used if alternatives are available.
Conditions: Labour, pain
>Treatments: Meperidine (Demerol), opioid analgesic
Sources