Objective To investigate the analgesic effect of combined spinal-epidural analgesia and its impact on stress levels in multiparous women during labor in a high-altitude region.

Methods A total of 86 multiparous women were enrolled as study subjects. They were divided into observation group (43 cases) and control group (43 cases) based on whether they received labor analgesia. The observation group received combined spinal-epidural analgesia during the first stage of labor. Pain levelsVisual Analogue Scale (VAS), labor psychological experienceChinese version of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory (CBSEI-C32) and Coping with Childbirth (CCB), stress levels serum cortisol (Cor), norepinephrine (NE) and adiponectin (APN) as well as maternal and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups.

Results The VAS scores during the first, second and third stages of labor were significantly lower in the observation group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The CBSEI-C32 and CCB scores at 24 hours postpartum in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The serum levels of Cor, NE and APN at 12 hours postpartum in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in the observation group was 0%, which was significantly lower than 9.30% in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion In high-altitude regions, combined spinal-epidural analgesia is effective in reducing labor pain, improving labor psychological experience, lowering stress levels, and reducing adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in multiparous women.