Neurobehavioural effects of propofol on the neonate following elective caesarean section

Abstract

Forty mothers undergoing elective Caesarean section under general anaesthesia were allocated randomly to receive either propofol 2.8 mg kg-1 (n = 20) or thiopentone 5 mg kg-1 (n = 20) for induction of anaesthesia. Twenty neonates delivered by uncomplicated vaginal delivery were evaluated also as unmedicated controls. Neurobehavioural examinations were carried out at 1, 4 and 24 h after delivery. Infants in the propofol group had lower Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min; 25% of them had muscular hypotonus at 5 min. This hypotonus was not noted during the Early Neonatal Neurobehavioural Scale (ENNS) examination. Newborn children examined 1 h after birth, after maternal anaesthesia with propofol, showed a depression in alert state, pinprick and placing reflexes, and mean decremental count in Moro and light. There was a generalized irritability in 25% of them. This depression was not observed at 4 h. © 1989 British Journal of Anaesthesia.