Gas and Air is Suspended for Women in Labour in some Hospitals
In the News
Mums 'left in agony' as gas and air is suspended for women in labour in some hospitals
Some NHS Trusts have suspended the use of Nitrous Oxide in hospitals over fears midwives could be over-exposed to it – but mums-to-be say they're paying the price
Pregnant women are being warned they may find it harder to access gas and air during their labour, as some hospitals suspend the pain reliever due to safety worries for midwives.
A number of NHS Trusts have temporarily stopped administering the pain relief, following concerns that medical staff are being exposed to harmful levels in the workplace.
Nitrous oxide residuals have been measured as 50 times over safe levels in some NHS units, according to The Sunday Times, and there are concerns about the effect of prolonged high levels of nitrous oxide on midwives who are exposed to the fumes every day.
I had gas & air years ago and am troubled that todays 'mums to be' could be refused it.
I had gas and air during labour, couldn't have managed without it. I had a complicated labour and had to get an emergency c section but the gas and air was what got me through. I certainly wouldn't want the midwives safety to be in jeopardy, they do a fab job. If gas and air is no longer available then they need to figure out another safe method of pain relief during labour.
MrsCraig It is quite a quandry isn't it. Do you let the mums to be have gas & air at the expense of the health of the midwives or let the mums to be suffer so that the midwives have a safer environment. The most surprising thing is that gas & air has been available to mums to be for years and years and they have only just found out about this?!
tumblespots it is strange that they didn't know about this up until now. You need to keep both the midwives and the mothers to be safe, so there needs to be a happy medium. Perhaps it is the equipment that administers the gas and air that needs to be updated so it is safer.
MrsCraig That could well be the case, perhaps it is leaking the gas & air and, if so, maybe it can be solved as nobody wants their midwife to be detrimentally affected.
It's bad for some people I didn't use at all if they came give them gas and air there should be some else they can use
Leannexxx At the moment there are only certain methods of pain relief, perhaps it's time they came up with another less intrusive method (rather than having to opt for an epidural)
tumblespots there is a injection you can have can't for the life of me remember the name tho I had a epidural with both my children and both times it didn't work because they were put into the wrong place in my back
Leannexxx Surely that must a criminal act to not only get it wrong, but to get it wrong twice! Did you bring a case against them?
tumblespots i tried to but the lawyers said that it would cost me thousands and honestly I didn't have the money to fight the nhs
Leannexxx That's where the justice systems let's you down, they know the man in the street can't afford to take things further..... I think we'd be equally shocked by who can claim legal aid and those who can't!
I agree with Mrs Craig, I found gas an air an amazing help when giving birth to my son, I wouldn't want to do it without it.
I did not have any gas and air as I was lucky my son arrived very quickly, so I did not have time for any pain relief, but I think that it’s not fair to not be offered it as so people don’t want to have a epidural or a pethidine injection
tara73ziva I do think they should sort this out so that those who do want it, as I did, don't have that choice taken away.
I did not have any gas and air when I delivered my son as he arrived too quickly, so I didn’t have the chance of an epidural or pethidine injection but I think there should be a safe method of delivering the gas and air, so it does not affect the midwives or anybody else in the room
I didn't have gas and air with either of mine. With my first I completely forgot it existed and didn't ask for it and nobody suggested it, I used a tens machine and it was fine. With my second, I was off for an emergency section soon after I went into labour. I think if I knew it could potentially harm someone else, I would go without. Pain relief should be available to women in labour but it should be safe for everyone.
ClaireF1978 Very glad you didn't need it. I had to have it, I don't think I could have done it without, but it was many years ago now and the dangers weren't known.
That's the key though isn't it - safe for everyone
Gosh what a dilemma although I’ve never had it & I’ve 4 children (grown adults now, 3rd was emergency section due to her being transverse). It made my daughter very sick when she was in labour with my granddaughter. What do they offer to mums who truly need it? They need to find an alternative, I know women can have epidurals but they usually use gas & air with it r they’re offered pethodine injection. Not sure how you get round this unless uv lots of midwives on rota shifts only being involved with 1 delivery a day if woman needs gas & air & that’s not workable but we also need to protect these midwives. I’ve always been very lucky with my labours (except 3rd child) & everyone was very quick. In fact my 2nd was 25 mins from start to finish but I do know I’m exception to a lot of people. Even my 1st I woke up at after 9 feeling off & went to hospital for check up. They told me I was in labour & I was booked in. I fell asleep till after half 1 when my waters broke & woke me up. My daughter was born at 10 past 3
chele44 It is a dilemma as I think gas & air is the choice of many mums to be in labour. Let's face it, it is far nicer and easier than an epidural. When I arrived at the hospital I booked for a water birth but by the time I got to the water birthing room another 'mother' was already in it!
I was listening to radio 2 yesterday lunchtime when they were discussing this issue. A caller told that his wife was a dental nurse so was close to patients having gas and she developed a vitamin B12 deficiency and her consultant said it was likely linked to the gas and air she administered.
Pjran That's interesting. I was at the dentists this morning, I wish I had asked them about it. If it is causing a B12 deficiency could they receive extra B12 to combat that?
It's such a quandry to keep everyone safe at the same time.
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