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The effect of segmental epidural analgesia on the neurobehavioural responses of newborn infants
Author(s) -
KangasSaarela T.,
Jouppila R.,
Jouppila P.,
Hollmén A.,
Puukka M.,
Juujärvi K.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1987.tb02581.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anesthesia , bupivacaine , analgesic , epidural block
The effects of maternal segmental epidural analgesia on neonatal neurobehavioural responses were studied at the ages of 3 h, 1 day, 2 days and 4–5 days. Subjects were healthy, term neonates born vaginally to 14 mothers with an epidural block and to 15 mothers without analgesia. The only statistically significant differences were found at the age of 1 day, when the epidural group infants habituated and oriented better to inanimate auditory stimuli. It is concluded that segmental epidural analgesia with a low dose of bupivacaine can be regarded as being a safe obstetric analgesic method as regards neonatal behavioural responses.