Labor Induction And The Incidence of Intrapartum Maternal Fever In Epidural Labor Analgesia: A Retrospective Case-Control Study

Abstract Background: To assess the influence of labor induction on the intrapartum maternal fever in epidural labor analgesia and to determine its association with intrapartum fever.Methods: A retrospective case-control study was performed during 2016–2018 in a first-class tertiary hospital. All patients who received epidural labor analgesia were allocated into either case (parturients who received labor induction and had intrapartum fever) or control (parturients who did not receive labor induction but had intrapartum fever) groups. Maternal demographic and intrapartum data, epidural infusions records, and neonatal short-term outcome were studied.Results: A total of 710 epidural labor analgesia occurred during the study period and 119 (16.76%) women had intrapartum fever. Intrapartum fever occurred in 66 (25.68%) women who received labor induction and in 53 (11.70%) who did not. After correction for confounding factors, labor induction (OR 2.818, 95% CI, 1.778–4.467, P<0.001), number of vaginal examinations (OR 1.242, 95% CI, 1.048–1.471, P=0.012), baseline maternal temperature (OR 6.702, 95% CI, 2.065–21.755, P=0.002), admission white blood cell count (OR 1.171, 95% CI, 1.052–1.303, P=0.004), and neonatal birth weight (OR 3.015, 95% CI, 1.739–5.227, P<0.001) were risk factors for intrapartum maternal fever during epidural labor analgesia.Conclusion: Labor induction was significantly associated with an increased risk of intrapartum maternal fever during epidural labor analgesia.