Abstract: 【Abstract】  There are many methods of labor analgesia. At present, the best choice for labor analgesia is neuraxial blockade, which includes a epidural, spinal, or a combined spinal-epidural technique. Newer technique is dural puncture epidural technique. Others in conjunction with neuraxial blockade or by itself involve inhalation anesthesia and intravenous anesthesia. In addition, there are some non-pharmacological alternative, such as acupuncture, transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation, hypnotism, hydrotherapy, yoga, birth ball, massage, relaxation techniques and so on. There are limited data on these methods in the management of labor analgesia. These therapies may be considered as an adjuvant because the analgesic efficiency is inferior to that provided by typical standard pharmacotherapy. This review will focus on the current updates and recent trends mainly about the effects of neuraxial blockade on stage and manner of labor, breast feeding, maternal fever or newborns, and about the progress of various neuraxial blockade techniques, to deepen the consensus, to understand the characteristics of labor analgesia, to guide further research.

Key words: Parturition, Analgesia, obstetrical, Anesthesia, spinal, Anesthesia, epidural, Subarachnoid space