Birth event—type of analgesia administered, code N[N]

The type of analgesia administered to the woman during a birth event, as represented by a code.

CODE 6   Systemic opioids

Includes intramuscular and intravenous opioids.

CODE 7   Combined spinal-epidural block

The spinal-epidural block combines the benefits of rapid action of a spinal block and the flexibility of an epidural block. An epidural catheter inserted during the technique enables the provision of long-lasting analgesia with the ability to titrate the dose for the desired effect.

CODE 88   Other analgesia

Includes all non-narcotic oral analgesia. Includes non-pharmacological methods such as hypnosis, acupuncture, massage, relaxation techniques, temperature regulation, aromatherapy and other.

Note: Code 1 and Code 3, which each had a meaning in previous versions of the data standard, are no longer used. As is good practice, the codes will not be reused.

National Perinatal Data Development Committee

This data element should be used in conjunction with the data element: Birth event—analgesia administered indicator, yes/no code N to obtain information on if analgesia was administered to a woman during the birth event.

More than one agent or technique can be recorded.

Code 7 cannot be recorded if Code 4 and Code 5 have already been recorded.

This data element is to be recorded for first and second stage labour, but not for third stage labour, e.g. removal of placenta.

Analgesia use may influence the duration of labour, may affect the health status of the baby at birth and is an indicator of obstetric intervention. Analgesia may also influence a woman's satisfaction with her birth experience and is an indicator of women's access to anaesthesia services, i.e. epidural analgesia is not available for women in birth events where there are no anaesthetic services.

National Perinatal Data Development Committee

See also Birth event—analgesia administered indicator, yes/no code N Health, Superseded 12/12/2018, ACT Health, Final 14/08/2018

Supersedes Birth event—analgesia administered, code N Health, Superseded 07/02/2013

Has been superseded by Birth event—type of analgesia administered, code N[N] Health, Standard 12/12/2018

Perinatal NMDS 2013-14 Health, Superseded 07/03/2014

Perinatal NMDS 2014-18 Health, Superseded 02/08/2017

Perinatal NMDS 2018-19 Health, Superseded 12/12/2018
ACT Health, Final 14/08/2018