Nerve Injury Following Birth, the Role of Epidural Analgesia-A Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Abstract

Epidural analgesia is widely used during labor, and postpartum nerve injury is an uncommon but clinically relevant outcome. Neurological symptoms after childbirth may be related to obstetric or anesthetic factors. Studies vary considerably in how postpartum nerve injury is identified, defined, assessed, and followed, limiting comparability and interpretation of findings. To map the methodological approaches used to study postpartum nerve injury following epidural analgesia, including case identification strategies, diagnostic assessment methods, follow-up procedures, and reporting of obstetric and anesthetic attribution. A scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR framework. Studies reporting postpartum nerve injury in relation to epidural procedures will be identified through systematic database searching. Data will be charted on study design, exposure definitions, strategies for etiological attribution, outcome ascertainment, and follow-up methods. The scoping review aims to map how postpartum nerve injury has been defined, identified, assessed, and followed in the literature, as well as clarify methodological patterns and inconsistencies. The findings may inform future research by highlighting variation in methodology, reporting practices and terminology. Thereby indicating areas where more consistent approaches to neurological assessment, exposure reporting, and attribution of obstetric and anesthetic factors are needed.