CHILDBIRTH could become a lot less painful, and slightly shorter, for mothers-to-be.

The hasreleased a study indicating that giving pregnant women a low-dose epidural early in labour ? when the cervix was dilated to two centimetres ? does not increase their risk of having a Caesarean, or C-section.

However, at least two local obstetrician/gynaecologists said the practice was one they had long employed.

"Generally if people require an epidural, even if it's early in labour, we would usually put one in," said Dr. Ian Fulton.

"I haven't seen the study, but based on what you've said it's not something that would alter our practice.

"People at two centimetres don't often require an epidural because they're not usually in active labour; they're not usually that uncomfortable at that time.

"But some people are. Some people have very strong contractions at that stage and the cervix can start dilating rapidly in which case, an epidural could be put in."

Dr. Fulton added that some medical professionals preferred to wait until the cervix had dilated to three or four centimetres because "that's when active labour is" but as long as he was certain that someone was in labour he thought it "perfectly all right to do an epidural".

Dr. Wendy Woods agreed: "I have always been a great advocate of epidurals," she said.

"I never thought they hampered the labour process in anyway so if a patient is desirous of one I never discourage it."

She allowed that she did exercise caution in administering the painkiller in cases where a patient's contractions are not frequent or strong, but that her decision depended on the individual and their pain tolerance level.

"A person's cervix may have only dilated two or three centimetres, but if they show signs of pain and are desirous of an epidural I don't have a problem administering one," said Dr. Woods.

Northwestern's study saw 750 women randomly divided. Half received a spinal shot ? a low-dose pain relief ? followed by epidurals when the cervix was dilated to approximately two centimetres.

The second group received pain-relieving medicine directly into the bloodstream, and was put off epidurals until they could no longer tolerate the pain or they reached four centimetres.

The study found no significant difference in the incidence of C-sections between the two ? 18 per cent in those who received the early epidural and 21 per cent in the later group.

However, the early epidural group delivered 90 minutes sooner than the other women, who averaged eight hours in labour.

"The message for women and their obstetricians and gynaecologists is that there is no reason why women who want an epidural should not get it when they first request it," the study's lead author, Dr. Cynthia Wong of Chicago's Northwestern University, told the Associated Press.

"Women often feel guilty or weak when they request an epidural early in labour. I hope this study will help women see that there is no shame in asking for an epidural."

Epidurals deliver numbing medicine through an insertion made close to spinal nerves in the back, largely bypassing the bloodstream. Some doctors guard against early use, fearful that the painkiller's numbing effect will reduce a woman's ability to push, prolonging labour and necessitating a C-Section.

The introduction of recent techniques have relaxed the attitude of some doctors in recent years. Sometimes called 'walking epidurals', not only do they provide lighter doses, but they enable a woman to push, and even walk during labour.