Effects of ephedrine and phenylephrine on maternal and infant outcomes during spinal anesthesia for Cesarean delivery

Objective To compare the effects of ephedrine and phenylephrine on maternal and infant outcomes when maintaining maternal blood pressure near baseline during spinal anesthesia for Cesarean delivery.Methods Sixty in-term parturients with singleton scheduled for selective Cesarean section under spinal anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups with 30 cases each.Group I was infused ephedrine(4 mg/ml) and group II phenylephrine(50 μg/ml).Blood pressure was maintained near the baseline by adjusting the drug infusion rate.MAP and HR were monitored at the time points of 1,3,5,10 min,skin incision and uterus incision after drug administration.Blood samples of maternal artery,umbilical artery and vein were collected immediately after delivery for blood gas analysis and detection of lactate and glucose.Results The umbilical arterial and venous pH and base excess in group I were significantly lower than those in group II(P0.05),but PCO2 and plasma concentrations of lactate and glucose in group I were higher than those in group II(P0.05).Conclusion Phenylephrine has less effect on maternal and infant outcomes than ephedrine for patients undergoing Cesarean section under spinal anesthesia.