Thank cervix for labour pain

Swedish researchers have come up with a theory about what causes labour pain.

I know what you’re thinking: that exiting eight-pound baby is what causes the pain!

But seriously, scientists were unsure about whether labour pain stemmed from the uterus or the cervix. At the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, they determined that in fact, pain-receptive nerve fibres in the uterus practically disappear during pregnancy and labour. In contrast, these nerve fibres and pain receptors remain in the cervix throughout pregnancy and labour.

As a report on ScienceDaily notes, focusing on pain relief for the cervix may generate cheaper, more accessible options to spinal anaesthesia for labour pain. New options would be particularly welcome in developing countries.

I myself was forced to have two C-sections, so I’ve never experienced labour pain. But I was very grateful for spinal anaesthesia nonetheless!

What are your thoughts on this discovery?