The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued an opinion statement Thursday "reaffirming" its current position that a woman who requests an epidural anesthetic to relieve labor pain should receive one "regardless of [her] stage of labor," Reuters Health reports. ACOG has received reports that some medical institutions have policies that restrict women from receiving epidurals until the cervix has dilated to a diameter of at least four to five centimeters. Such policies are based on findings from previous studies that women who receive epidurals before their cervical dilation reaches five centimeters are at a higher risk for a caesarean delivery. However, other studies have found no association between an epidural given early in labor and the risk of a c-section delivery. An ACOG task force in 2000 examined the "contradictory evidence" from these studies and concluded that epidurals should be delayed "when feasible," but its recommendation specifically stated that providers should not intentionally limit pain relief to women in labor. The new opinion was released to "clarify [ACOG's] stance" on the issue for hospitals that may have interpreted the 2000 guidelines as justification to limit women's access to epidurals (Huggins, Reuters Health, 1/31). The new ACOG opinion states, "ACOG supports waiting, when feasible, to give laboring women epidurals until they have dilated four to five centimeters. However, since labor produces severe pain for many women, ACOG believes that a woman's request for an epidural should be the deciding factor, even if she hasn't yet reached a four- to five-centimeter dilation" (ACOG release, 1/31). Dr. Charles Lockwood, chair of ACOG's committee on obstetric practice, said that although a woman "may want to wait" until her cervix has reached four centimeters before getting an epidural, doctors "should not refuse (the) epidural if it's available" (Reuters Health, 1/31).