Comparing Effects of Caesarean Section using Spinal and General Anesthesia on Neonatal Short-Term Outcome

Background : Caesarean section can be performed under general or regional anesthesia like spinal anesthesia technique, and both have advantages and disadvantages. Objective : To compare the effect of general anesthesia versus spinal anesthesia on 1 and 5 minute Apgar score of neonates born by elective caesarean section Methods : The study was carried out in Zheen International Hospital, Kurdistan, Iraq from May 2014 to May 2015. This study was performed on 100 women presenting for elective Caesarean section. Fifty pregnant females were given general anesthesia and other 50 received spinal anesthesia. The Apgar score was recorded at 1 minute and 5 minute interval after each delivery. Result : The results showed that baseline characteristics inducing age, obstetrics history, and gestational age in females in both study groups were comparable (p>0.05). The demographic characteristics of newborns between study group showed comparable body weight and male to female sex ratio (p>0.05). The Apgar score values at one minute (p=0.0375) and at 5 minutes (p=0.0002) showed significantly higher number of score in spinal anesthesia group as compared to general anesthesia group. Conclusion : There is a significant difference between the effects of general anesthesia and spinal anesthesia on Apgar score of neonate 1 minute and 5 minutes after delivery of full term neonate by elective Caesarean section, but there may not be clinically significant difference between the effect of general anesthesia and spinal anesthesia on Apgar score of healthy mothers.