Objective To investigate the effects of different concentrations of ropivacaine combined with epidural block of nalbuphine on labor analgesia.

Methods A total of 180 singleton primiparas who delivered from January 2019 to January 2021 were selected as the research objects, and were randomly divided into group Ⅰ, group Ⅱ and group Ⅲ, with 60 cases in each group. The group Ⅰ was given 0.100% ropivacaine and 0.3 mg/mL nalbuphine, the group Ⅱ was given 0.125% ropivacaine and 0.3 mg/mL nalbuphine, and the group Ⅲ was given 0.150% ropivacaine and 0.3 mg/mL nalbuphine, all groups were given epidural intermittent injection. The drug administration, onset time of analgesia, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Bromage score, labor time, delivery mode, Apgar score, blood loss and adverse reactions of parturient women in the three groups were observed.

Results The onset time of analgesia in the group Ⅲ was significantly shorter than that in the groups Ⅱ and Ⅰ, the frequency of administration was less than that in the groups Ⅱ and Ⅰ, the interval of administration and the time of first patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) were significantly longer than those in the groups Ⅱ and Ⅰ (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in VAS, Bromage score, time of first stage of labor, incidence of adverse reactions and blood loss among the three groups at different time points (P>0.05). The serum prolactin level and neonates Apgar score at 24 h after delivery in the group Ⅲ were significantly higher than those in the groups Ⅱ and Ⅰ (P < 0.05).

Conclusion The ropivacaine combined with nalbuphine for epidural labor analgesia is safe, which can significantly reduce maternal labor pain and will not affect the safety of mother and child. 0.150% ropivacaine combined with 0.3 mg/mL nalbuphine has only slight effect on motor nerve block, and the incidence of adverse reactions is low, which can be used as an ideal drug choice program for epidural labor analgesia.