Effect of Spinal Anesthesia and General Anesthesia on Neonate’s Apgar Score in Cesarean Section: A Comparative Study

Background: Cesarean section (CS) is a common surgical procedure for delivering babies, with approximately one in three births in the United States involving this method. CSs can be performed under general anesthesia (GA), rendering the patient unconscious, or regional anesthesia, numbing the lower part of the body. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the impact of spinal and GA on the Apgar scores of neonates born through elective CS. The Apgar score assesses a newborn’s heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color, with a score of 7 or higher considered normal. Materials and Methods: Conducted at Babylon Maternity and Children Teaching Hospital in Iraq, the study included 60 women scheduled for elective CS. About 30 women received spinal anesthesia (SA), whereas 30 women received GA. Apgar scores were recorded at 1 and 5 min after birth. Results: The study demonstrated a notable difference in the Apgar scores of neonates delivered via elective CS, depending on the type of anesthesia administered to the mother. At 1 min postbirth, 83.3% of neonates whose mothers received GA had Apgar scores of 6 or below. In contrast, only 10% of neonates whose mothers received SA exhibited similar scores. However, by the 5-min mark, the differences in Apgar scores between the two groups were not statistically significant SA. Conclusion: The findings indicate that neonates born through elective CSs tend to have higher Apgar scores at 1 min after birth when SA is used compared with GA. Nonetheless, no significant differences in Apgar scores were observed at the 5-min mark.