Why Isn’t Nitrous Oxide Widely Available for Labor Pain Relief
in the U.S.?  By Rachel Walden |  I was recently pointed to an
editorial in the March 2007 issue of the journal Birth which
asks, “Nitrous Oxide for Pain in Labor–Why Not in the United
States?” You may be familiar with nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”)
as it is sometimes used during dental procedures, but the gas is
often used in other countries as a means to control pain during
labor. As the Birth editorial explains, nitrous oxide is self-
administered by a woman in labor (primarily for safety reasons),
allowing her to obtain a short burst of relief only when needed
as an alternative to an epidural.  There isn’t a tremendous
amount of research on nitrous oxide during birth, but a 2002
systematic review highlights some basic information about this
technique. The authors note that the gas does not appear to
affect the fetus or newborn or depress uterine contractions,
although women may experience some lightheadedness and may have
a slight delay in pain