These medications are local anesthetics. They provide a numbness or loss of sensation in a small area. Local anesthesia is often used to ease the pain of delivery or when an episiotomy incision is done to assist the delivery. It does not, however, lessen the pain of contractions. Regional Blocks Regional blocks can reduce the discomfort of labor and provide either analgesia or anesthesia.
Regional blocks refer to epidural and spinal blocks.
They are administered in the lower back, usually by a specialist physician called an anesthesiologist. Epidural analgesia may be used for labor and vaginal delivery. An epidural block may be used to provide anesthesia for a cesarean section. A spinal block may be used to provide labor analgesia or anesthesia for a cesarean delivery. Regional Blocks for Labor Regional blocks for labor and delivery have become very popular because of the comfort they provide.