Type of anesthesia affects neonatal wellbeing and frequency of transient tachypnea in elective cesarean sections

We aimed to assess whether the type of anesthesia in cesarean section (C/S) (spinal anesthesia, SA versus general anesthesia, GA) has an effect or not on umblical vein blood gas analysis and APGAR scores of term neonates and development of transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN).

The data of 172 procedure (85, GA versus 87, SA) were collected retrospectively. Results of umblical vein blood gas analysis, APGAR scores at first and fifth minutes and presence of TTN from in-hospital files' of neonates were examined.

Neonates in the SA group had significantly higher first and fifth minute APGAR scores (8, 7 versus 9, 2, p < 0.001 and 9, 3 versus 10, 2, p = 0.017, respectively). The pH value of umblical vein samples were higher (7.30 ± 0.05 versus 7.32 ± 0.05, p = 0.029) and pO2 and SaO2 levels were significantly lower in the SA group (34.8 ± 13.8 mmHg versus 27.6 ± 14.5 mmHg; p = 0.001 and 56.6% ± 18.7 versus 49.8% ± 21.4; p = 0.029, respectively) as compared to the GA group. Thirteen neonates in the GA group (15.3%) and five in the SA group (5.7%) were diagnosed as TTN (p = 0.048).

In our study, considerable determinants of fetal wellbeing was stated to be higher in C/S performed under SA in comparison to GA. Furthermore, our findings favor SA for avoidance of TTN.