Original Research

A Comparative Study on the Effects of Spinal Versus GeneralAnesthesia on Apgar Score of the Neonates Among Patients EnduringElective Caesarean Section

Umar Iqbal1
Rashid Latif Medical College Lahore
Imran Masood Butt1
Rashid Latif Medical College Lahore
Muhammad Saqib2
Punjab Institute of Neurosciences Lahore
Muhammad Aslam Khan3
Children Hospital Lahore
Mudassar Ali1
Rashid Latif Medical College Lahore
Fareeha Sheikh4
Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore

✉ Correspondence: Umar Iqbal Email: umariqbal41411@import.invalid

DOI https://doi.org/10.70302/jpsim.v6i1.2508
Volume: 6, Issue 1 Pages: 38–41 Published: 10 Mar 2025
Received: 10 Apr 2024 Revised: 17 Jan 2025 Accepted: 22 Feb 2025 Published Online: 10 Mar 2025

Abstract

Objective

This study investigates the impact of anesthesia choices on maternal and neonatal outcomes during elective cesarean sections, comparing spinal anesthesia with general anesthesia.

Methods

Conducted over a year at the Department of Gynecology, Divisional Women's University of Dera Ismail Khan, the study involved 100 ASA-I patients scheduled for elective cesarean sections. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (spinal anesthesia, n = 55) and Group B (general anesthesia, n = 45). Comprehensive monitoring and statistical analyses, utilizing SPSS version 22.0, were employed to assess maternal and neonatal outcomes, including Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes.

Results

While both groups had similar mean ages, Group A had a slightly higher mean weight. Analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in Apgar scores at 1 minute, but at 5 minutes, Group B showed significantly higher Apgar scores (P = 0.001) and lower pH levels (P = 0.016). Group A exhibited a higher percentage of infants in satisfactory condition (96.7%) compared to Group B (86.7%) at 5 minutes.

Conclusion

The study underscores the advantages of spinal anesthesia, presenting better Apgar scores at 1 minute and a higher percentage of infants in satisfactory condition at 5 minutes. These findings support the strategic use of spinal anesthesia in elective cesarean sections, emphasizing improved neonatal outcomes and maternal satisfaction. However, limitations such as sample size and exclusion of emergency cases warrant caution in generalizing the results.

Keywords
Anesthesia Cesarean section Spinal anesthesia General anesthesia Apgar score Maternal outcomes Neonatal outcomes Elective cesarean section.

How to Cite This Article

Iqbal U, Butt IM, Saqib M, Khan MA, Ali M, Sheikh F. A Comparative Study on the Effects of Spinal Versus GeneralAnesthesia on Apgar Score of the Neonates Among Patients EnduringElective Caesarean Section. J Pak Soc Intern Med. 2025;6(1):38–41. doi:10.70302/jpsim.v6i1.2508

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Conflict of Interest

All authors declare no competing interests.

Disclosed in accordance with ICMJE and COPE guidelines.

Funding

No specific funding was received for this research.

Funder information follows the Crossref Funder Registry standard.

References

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  3. Kim WH, Hur M, Park SK, Yoo S, Lim T, Yoon HK, Kim JT, Bahk JH. Comparison between general, spinal, epidural, and combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for cesarean delivery: a network meta-analysis. Int J Obstet Anesth. 2019;37(1):5-15.
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Reference list indexed for Google Scholar and ResearchGate. DOI links resolve via doi.org.

CC BY CC BY 4.0 This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. May be shared and adapted with attribution. © 2025 Journal of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine.
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