Protecting the Environment – Entonox and Childbirth

Gas and air (Entonox) has been used as a method of pain relief in childbirth for more than a century. A mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen is breathed in via a mouthpiece to provide fast-acting relief from discomfort and a feeling of relaxation.

However, nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas and in recent years there has been growing concern about the use of gas and air as a contributing factor in climate change.

Environmentally friendly childbirth

In September 2021, a woman giving birth in a Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust birthing centre is reported to have made history in the UK by using a new gas and air delivery system as she underwent labour. Known as a Mobile Destruction Unit (MDU), the system eliminates the harmful effects of nitrous oxide when breathed out.

The system has been developed by Medclair and while it is already in use in Sweden, this was, reportedly, its first use in the UK.

A system that helps reduce damage to the environment is obviously good news, but some commentators were less than happy and, in November, following further reports of the MDU’s use at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, Scotland, the Mirror ran the following headline: “Women under attack over environmental impact of pain relief during childbirth.”

Despite these negative attitudes to the breakthrough, Dr Andrew Goddard, consultant anaesthetist for NHS Lothian presented some encouraging statistics in favour of the new system.

He said an hour’s use of standard gas and air can create the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions as driving a petrol car for 100 to 300 miles.

There is also hope that the system could potentially reduce the need for anaesthetic gases as the exhaled and captured gases could be reused (subject to approvals).

Pain relief choices in childbirth

A woman’s right to choose the pain relief method she prefers during childbirth is a fundament of NHS maternal care, and health care practitioners will do their best to ensure that requests are upheld.

The introduction of a system that can help environmentally-conscious women choose pain relief without fear they are harming the planet is a medical advancement that definitely deserves a place in delivery units and childbirth suites across the UK.