Comparison of General Anesthesia and Spinal Anesthesia on Maternal and Neonatal Central Temperature during Cesarean Section

Hypothermia is the most common complication of general and neuroaxial anesthesia. In previous studies، the effects of anesthesia on the temperature were assessed in different surgeries. In this study we evaluated the effects of general and spinal anesthesia on the core temperature of the mother and neonate in cesarean section.

Eighty pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive general or spinal anesthesia. Maternal core temperature was measured five times with a digital ear thermometer just before anesthesia، at the beginning of surgery، after delivery، 30 and 60 minutes after the end of the operation. In addition، umbilical vein blood was sampled for pH. The rectal temperatures of the babies were recorded immediately after delivery by rectal probe، and Apgar scores were determined 1 and 5 min after birth.

There were no differences between maternal and newborn temperatures in different times in both groups، but، the umbilical vein pH value were lower in the spinal anesthesia group. Temperature of the operating room was 26 and recovery was 20.

According to the results of this study، spinal and general anesthesia have similar effects on core temperatures in mothers underwent cesarean section.