The efficacy of lidocaine-prilocaine cream to reduce pain in genetic amniocentesis.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate whether local anesthesia by lidocaine-prilocaine cream decreases maternal pain during mid-trimester genetic amniocentesis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This randomized controlled study of mid-trimester genetic amniocentesis was conducted between 1 October 2006 and 30 April 2007. Pregnant women were randomized to receive lidocaine-prilocaine cream or placebo cream 30 minutes prior to amniocentesis. Patients, blinded to allocation, recorded anticipated and actual pain before and after the procedure. The visual analog score (VAS) was evaluated, using a 0-10 scale. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty women participated in the present study. Sixty women were randomized to lidocaine-prilocaine group. The two groups were similar with respect to clinical correlations and procedure characteristics. Anticipated pain was 6.1 +/- 2.0 in the lidocaine-prilocaine group and 6.3 +/- 2.3 in the placebo group (p = 0.61). Actual pain was 2.3 +/- 2.2 in the lidocaine-prilocaine group and 2.9 +/- 2.5 in the placebo group (p = 0. 16). CONCLUSION: Lidocaine-prilocaine cream does not decrease pain during mid-trimester genetic amniocentesis.