Spinal anaesthesia for Caesarean section. The influence of hypotension on neonatal outcome.

Summary The effect upon the neonate of a short period of maternal hypotension sustained during the initiation of spinal analgesia for Caesarean section was studied. Babies born to mothers with hypotension were significantly more acidotic than controls although acid-base levels were still within normal limits. Neuro-behavioural studies were found to be normal in both groups at 4 and 24 hours. It was concluded that a short period (<2 minutes) of hypotension was not harmful to the neonate.