Slight Benefit Seen for Regional Anesthesia Over General Anesthesia for C-Section

FRIDAY, Nov. 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- For cesarean delivery, regional anesthesia is associated with slightly higher Apgar scores and less frequent need for neonatal respiratory support compared with general anesthesia, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in Anesthesiology.Sarah Langer, M.D., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues conducted a systematic review of randomized trials to compare neonatal outcomes associated with regional anesthesia (spinal, epidural, or combined spinal-epidural) versus general anesthesia for cesarean delivery. A total of 36 studies were included, involving 3,456 neonates born to patients undergoing cesarean delivery between January 1994 and November 2023.The researchers found that 42.7 and 57.3 percent of the neonates were born to parturients who underwent general versus regional anesthesia, respectively. Slightly higher Apgar scores were seen at one and five minutes after regional versus general anesthesia (mean difference, 0.58 and 0.09 points at one and five minutes, respectively). The need for respiratory support was less frequent with regional anesthesia (risk ratio, 0.62), while no significant difference was seen across techniques in the need for neonatal intensive care. A high or unclear risk for bias was seen in all studies."This study equips women with evidence-based context about the use of general anesthesia during c-section," Langer said in a statement. "Childbirth is a physically and emotionally demanding process, but we do not want patients to feel like there aren’t options when it comes to their anesthesia for c-section."Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Slight Benefit Seen for Regional Anesthesia Over General Anesthesia for C-Section

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