Epidural fever and what it does to your baby
The fever is usually not infection, but your baby gets treated as if it might be.
Epidurals raise maternal temperature. Fever occurred in 14.5% of first-time mothers with an epidural against 1.0% without, and the consequence fell on the newborn: sepsis evaluation in 34.0% against 9.8%, antibiotics in 15.4% against 3.8%. A fever in labor also raises the chance a cesarean is recommended.
Where this comes from:
191. Lieberman E, Lang JM, Frigoletto F Jr, Richardson DK, Ringer SA, Cohen A. Epidural analgesia, intrapartum fever, and neonatal sepsis evaluation. Pediatrics. 1997;99(3):415-419.
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This page is educational. It supports the conversation with your own clinicians. It is not consent to any treatment, and it cannot assess you. If you are worried about a symptom now, see urgent warning signs.