Does the February 2005 study show that epidurals do not increase risk for cesarean section?
No. Because women in both groups had epidurals, this study sheds no light on whether an epidural increases risk for cesarean section. Lieberman and O’Donogue’s systematic review of randomized controlled trials and observational research looked at the best available studies for answering this question and concluded that available studies did not permit a clear answer (2002). For now, the best we can say is that having an epidural may increase risk for cesarean section.
