Doula

Answer: B - Side effects of narcotic pain relief in labor include drowsiness, disorientation, difficulty concentrating, nausea, dizziness, and changes in blood pressure. While the medication does alter the pain threshold and reduce pain, its CNS depressant effects may also cause respiratory depression, especially in a neonate. This depressive effect may also slow labor, as will the immobility associated with the need for additional interventions associated with pain medication in labor, such as IV fluids and fetal monitoring.