This block is more properly known as a PARAcervical block. It involves two injections to the left and the right of the cervix. It is easy to perform and can easily be done by your obstetrician. The cervical block is excellent for the pain related to the early stages of labor (nerve fibers from the uterus and cervix are blocked).

The advantage mainly is that it is quick and easy to place. An epidural is more technically difficult to perform and requires a little more effort to ensure that it is working properly.

The cervical block does not really provide pain relief for later stages of labor. It does not block sensation from perineum (the pelvic area, the area where the baby passes through when delivery is occurring) and therefore pain from pelvic dilatation and delivery can be significant.

The major disadvantage is that there is a high incidence of slowing of the fetal heart rate with these blocks. This is often associated with decreased oxygen delivery to the fetus. This may be due to high levels of local anesthesia around the blood vessels that supply the uterus and/or high blood levels of the medicine in the fetal blood. In addition, if you are far along in your labor (greater than 8 cm dilation) the block should be used with great caution to avoid injecting medicine directly into the baby's head.