My wife is wondering?

Anytime you pierce the skin, you risk bringing in infection, so infection is one risk. Another risk is potential drop in blood pressure (usually easily corrected with other medications) but that drop could lead to fetal distress since that low blood pressure can't circulate the blood through the placenta as efficiently. Another risk is temporary or permanent nerve damage, usually this means numb areas or dull aching areas, but NOT severe unrelenting chronic pain, and my anesthesia team at my hospital has NEVER seen a woman paralyzed by an epidural, and they have performed tens of thousands of epidurals.

Also, she could be so numb that when it's time to push she cannot do it effectively. It could prolong the pushing stage or possibly result in a c-section. Usually the doc will turn down or turn off the epidural if it looks like this is a problem, and waiting to push until she feels the urge to push.

That's about it. They are very safe and for most women very effective.

I had an Epidural, it can cause some blood pressure issues and also slow down your labour, the other thing is that babys heart rate tends to drop - (This is not ALWAYS the case obviously). When i had mine i was so pleased, i was in alot of discomfort/pain and this was the answersto my prayers!! i felt relaxed, much more in control, also energy for ready to push as i could sleep for a while. My babys heart rate was fine, the only thing was it slowed my labour down so much that it almost stopped. I had to have something (can't remember now3 years ago) to speed it up again, it worked!!

I say, your wife will know what she needs when the time is here. Goodluck

It may be different for her as different people do react differently to each medication. But my experience was not a good one. I felt so out of it after baby came. I couldnt enjoy her bc i just felt woozy. Nd when in labor since u r numb u cant feel what u r doing... pushing or not. Afterwards too my back hurt like heck. I was 17 when I had it. It was my 1st pregnancy and freaked out which is why I took it but never again. Im 37 wks pregnant w bb #5 and have done it all natural since then. Id rather deal w the pain for a while than have to pay for it later when baby needs u alert and well. Hope this helped.