Few things make me as happy as a woman who chooses natural childbirth (as long as that woman isn't my wife). There is an indirect correlation between the amount of time I spend on the OB ward and my quality of life. Please tell your wife thank you.

In all seriousness, there are risks involved in placing/receiving an epidural. It requires placing a very large needle into an area of very expensive real estate.

That said,the overwhelming majority of women who choose epidural analgesia benefit from a relatively pleasant and pain free birth and experience no complication of any consequence.

I should also point out that people often try to blame their postpartum problems on their epidural when in fact there are other, better explanations for their symptoms.

If a woman prefers to avoid any possibility of an epidural-related complication and is able to tolerate labor and delivery without an epidural, more power to her, as long as she doesn't claim moral superiority over women who choose to avail themselves of modern medicine.