Number of women using pain relief for child birth falls to lowest in a decade

Number of women using pain relief for child birth falls to lowest in a decade The use of painkillers by women in childbirth has dropped by six per cent in the last decade, prompting concerns that women might be being denied the pain relief they want.

Data released today by NHS Digital showed the use of pain medication such as anaesthetics while having a child has dropped from 67% in 2008-09 to 61% in 2018-19. The Daily Telegraph