International journal of obstetric anesthesia
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The experiences of 890 parturients were studied across Finland during one week to determine how they experienced labour pain and how effective they regarded the means to alleviate it. The majority of women (72%) had been afraid of labour and 88% had intended to request some pharmacological pain relief. 84% of primiparous and 72% of multiparous rated their pain severe or unbearable. Epidural analgesia was found to be the most effective method in the first stage of labour, but in the second this superiority was no longer apparent. Unfortunately, it seems to be readily available only during office hours in spite of the fact that the majority of deliveries happen outside of that time.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 1994
Prevention of hypotension during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section.
Twenty-six parturients scheduled to receive spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section were randomized to receive either isotonic saline 750 ml plus 20 ml/kg (group A) or 750 ml plus 500 ml (group B) before subarachnoid administration of bupivacaine 13 mg. Ephedrine 0.15 mg/kg i.v. followed by an infusion 0.4 mg.kg(-1) h(-1) were then administered in group B. In both groups ephedrine 10 mg/min i.v. was given if the mean arterial blood pressure decreased more than 10 mmHg. ⋯ One neonate in group A and 2 in group B were acidotic. In conclusion, a reduced volume loading could be compensated with an increased ephedrine administration after induction of spinal anaesthesia, without increasing the incidence of hypotension or other maternal or neonatal complications. However, the fluid volumes and/or ephedrine doses used were not sufficient to prevent hypotension altogether.
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Int J Obstet Anesth · Jan 1994
A comparison of spinal and general anaesthesia for elective caesarean section: effect on neonatal condition at birth.
The condition of 74 neonates delivered by elective caesarean section under general anaesthesia was compared with that of 63 neonates delivered under spinal anaesthesia. When the uterine incision - delivery interval was less than 3 min, neonates in the spinal group exhibited a higher Apgar score at 1 min (P < 0.002) and a higher mean umbilical venous pH (P < 0.05) than the equivalent general anaesthesia group; a significantly greater proportion of the neonates delivered under general anaesthesia had an umbilical venous pH<7.28 at delivery (P < 0.05), a fact which previous work suggests is important. Among anaesthetized mothers inspired oxygen concentration (33% or 50%) before delivery had no significant effect upon neonatal outcome. It is concluded that neonates delivered at elective Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia are in better condition than those delivered under general anaesthesia.