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Summary Thirty‐eight patients with a normal obstetric history who had not received intramuscular sedation and who requested or required analgesia were given 150–200 μg of fentanyl into the epidural space. Excellent pain relief was achieved until late in the first stage of labour but analgesia was inadequate during the latter part of the 1st stage and during the 2nd stage of labour. No serious side‐effects were noted in any of the mothers but one baby required treatment for respiratory depression.