Recently Sterile Water Injections have been in the spotlight after it was added to the UK NICE Guidelines. Let’s learn more about this option for women in labor - at home or in hospital.
What Are Sterile Water Injections?
Sterile water injections are a unique form of pain relief administered just under the skin on a woman's back, creating small blister-like bumps. These can be given by trained professionals and have no side effects for you or your baby (but there can be a stinging sensation for about a minute after).
Key Facts:
Also known as sterile water blocks or papules.
Involves 2-4 injections using an insulin syringe, with 0.1-0.15cc of sterile water injected into specific points on the sacral area.
Offer several advantages over epidurals and narcotics: quick, cheap, no impact on mobility or baby's well-being, and no need for additional monitoring.
The main downside is intense stinging pain for 30-90 seconds during and after administration, with a small risk of local infection or inflammation.
Effectiveness:
Particularly helpful for back labor pain, which is pain felt mainly in the back rather than the uterus and doesn’t subside between contractions.
Women often report significant relief starting 2-3 minutes after the injections, lasting up to a couple of hours, and the injections can be repeated if necessary. This could help a mom who was struggling to avoid medications or an epidural if that was her preference. It’s a simple, low cost intervention that can be very helpful for some women.
Research and Controversy:
While many studies show positive results, some OBs argue the evidence isn't robust enough, citing the need for larger, higher-quality studies.
Despite these criticisms, many midwives and women find sterile water injections to be a valuable, low-risk pain relief option.
In a nutshell, sterile water injections provide a non-pharmacological pain relief option that is quick, cheap, and effective, particularly for back labor pain. While not everyone agrees on it’s use it’s a choice that more moms should have access to.
