INTRODUCTION: Epidural analgesia has been widely accepted as the gold standard for labour pain relief. However most of our centres have continued to use parenteral opioid analgesia. OBJECTIVES: To assess and compare the effects of low dose epidural with parenteral labour analgesia (intramuscular pentazocine) on outcomes of labour. METHODOLOGY: This was a prospective randomized control study involving 60 nulliparous women aged between 20 to 35 years in spontaneous labour at term with singleton fetus in vertex presentation. Parturients who consented to pain relief in labour were randomized to receive either epidural or parenteral opioid analgesia in labour. Low dose epidural analgesia was provided with 10mls of 0.125% plain bupivacaine bolus and then maintained with 5mls per hour of same concentration as intermittent top ups via the epidural catheter. Those in the non-epidural group received a start dose of intramuscular pentazocine 60mg in labour. Repeat doses of 30mg were given after every 4 hours if the patient’s cervical dilatation was less than 8cm. Duration of first and second stages of labour, Number of parturients receiving oxytocin for augmentation, Number of instrumental vaginal deliveries and number of caesarean sections; presence or absence of fetal bradycardia or tachycardia, presence or absence of fresh meconium stained liquor, and first and fifth minute Apgar scores of the neonates were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed on the generated data using Statistical Package for Social Science Version 16.0.