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Dr. Smith said the outbreak was similar to a fungal meningitis outbreak that started in November 2022 in Durango, Mexico, where more than 1,400 patients were possibly exposed through contaminated epidural anesthesia.

Most perks of a modern hospital birth — blood transfusions, antibiotics, epidural anesthesia — were yet to be invented, so birthing in hospital made little difference.

The researchers injected either the antisense drug or a placebo into the study participants’ spinal fluid—a 20-minute procedure similar to those that deliver epidural anesthesia to women in labor.

Many obstetricians resist giving epidural anesthesia during the late stage of delivery because they believe it lengthens the duration of labor.

Even though she was determined to give birth without painkillers, one nurse constantly offered epidural anesthesia, she said.