Neurobehavioral response of infants after paracervical block during labour

30 parturient women were randomized into a group receiving paracervical block (PCB) and a control group. The infants were tested by a neurobehavioral examination immediately after birth, after 3 hours and 3 days. The examiner was unaware of the obstetrical management of the patients. No clinically significant differences could be detected between the two groups. Arterial and venous pO2, pCO2 and pH from the umbilical cord showed no differences between the groups.