Is an anaesthetic, without side effects, available for child birth?

Q: I have heard that there is a new and safer anaesthetic available, for pain during child birth. It is injected through IV. It doesn't have any serious side effects, unlike the epidural. I don't know the anaesthetics name. Is it available in India?

A:Presently there is no new IV drug without any side effects during child birth. Most of the drugs cross the placenta and depress the fetus (child). In such situations one can give an antidote to that, if available. In our country we do not have any drug, which is absolutely safe.