Impact of Patient Choice for Epidural Potency on Maternal Satisfaction

Impact of Patient Choice for Epidural Potency on Maternal Satisfaction

This clinical trial will compare two different approaches to epidural analgesia during labor to see which approach leads to higher patient satisfaction after delivery.

Primary aim: determine whether one approach produces greater postpartum maternal satisfaction.

Secondary aims: compare pain control and side effects.

Participants are people in labor who receive epidural analgesia. They will receive routine clinical epidural care and complete brief, in-hospital questionnaires about pain and satisfaction.

All care is provided by the clinical team and safety practices remain unchanged.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Planned vaginal delivery
• Patient requesting epidural labor analgesia
• Gestational age >34 weeks

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any contraindication to neuraxial block
• History of chronic pain, anxiety or depression
• Intolerance or allergy to local anesthetic or opioids
• Cesarean delivery within 2 hours of epidural initiation