I'm curious what  side effects of epidurals are  listed in different hospitals' epidural consent forms.

In Israel where I come from,  I know of at least one major hospital where the consent form mentions next to no side effects.  Furthermore, there is a printed statement about epidurals on the wall of the L&D room, which attempts to convince the patient to disregard any "rumors" she may have heard about the side effects of epidurals.  (Something along the lines of "it is safer than your risk of getting hit by a car when you cross the street".  This hospital's  epidural rate is about 90% for first time moms).  

Searching the archives I  came across Marsha Walker's post of Nov. 16, 1998, which questions the legality of these forms if all the known side effects are not mentioned.   I'm not sure how Israeli law would treat this issue, but my guess it would give more leeway to the hospital, less protection to the consumer.   
 
As for epidurals affecting breastfeeding, in the above mentioned hospital, there is a high incidence of deliveries with vacuum extractors in mothers with epidurals, which seem to correlate with a higher incidence of breastfeeding problems.   

Yael Wyshogrod
Atlanta 

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