Objective      To observe the analgesic effect and adverse reactions of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia with dezocine or patient-controlled epidural analgesia on patients undergoing caesarean section and the effect on serum prolactin (PRL).       Methods      A total of 60 pregnant women

who underwent caesarean section in No. 401 hospital of PLA during November 2014 to March 2015

were randomly divided into dezocine group

epidural group and control group. Patients of the dezocine group received 0.5 mg/kg of dezocine in 100 mL saline using a venous self-control analgesic pump after caesarean section. Patients of the epidural group were treated with 20 μg sufentanil and 125 mg ropivacaine in 100 mL saline using a patient-controlled epidural analgesic pump. Patients of the control group did not use any analgesia methods. Visual analogue scale (VAS)

initial time of lactation

adverse reactions and occurrences of complications were used to evaluate the effects of different treatments after caesarean section. Serum PRL levels were determined with chemiluminescence assay before operation and at 24 and 48 h after caesarean section.       Results      The VAS scores of the dezocine group and epidural group were significantly lower than those of the control group at postoperative 12

24 and 48 h (P0.05)

whereas there was no significant difference between the dezocine group and the epidural group (P0.05). The serum PRL levels of the dezocine group and epidural group at 24 and 48 h after cesarean section were significantly higher than those of the control group (P0.05)

whereas there was no significant difference between the dezocine group and the epidural group (P0.05). Both analgesic methods could significantly advance the initial time of lactation compared with the control group (P0.05)

whereas the initial time of lactation had no significant difference between the dezocine group and the epidural group (P0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the dezocine group was lower than that in the epidural group (P0.05).       Conclusion      The patient-controlled intravenous analgesia with dezocine has good curative effect and less adverse reactions for the patients undergoing caesarean section

and can promote the secretion of PRL.