GA risks to baby C-section

[Missguidedsmiles]

Anybody know the risks to baby if mum has general anesthia (put to sleep) during a ceserean? ( can't find research any where )

I don't know statistics but babies born to mums who have had a GA can be born anaesthetised, meaning they need help with their breathing initially. They would have a neonatal team on standby if planned or emergency bleeped if appropriate. They would take over baby's breathing and take them to NICU. Once drugs have worn off then babies are usually totally fine and can be reunited with parents but it does depend on why c section was done under GA- If it was due to foetal distress then there could be other factors making them unwell and needing ongoing care. If if was an ELCS under GA then babies recover very quickly. Surgeons also work very quickly to get baby out once mums go under, to allow as little of the drugs as possible to cross the placenta and get into baby.

I had an emergency section under GA because of the rush to get my daughter out, she was born screaming no resus needed. I may need a section again this time and am terrified of being awake during it (like panic attacks at night just thinking about it) and I was told by the consultant that the preference for spinal is due to the risk of baby being born anaesthetised. I plan to discuss further with the anaesthetist tomorrow though.

There’s plenty of information out there about the risks/benefits of GA for c-section. The risks need to be considered in the context of the reason for and urgency of the c-section. Generally it’s better to avoid GA but that doesn’t mean that GA is always unsafe. In some cases GA is the safest option for both mother and baby.

some of the drugs used for GA can cross the placenta and make the baby a bit drowsy. Paediatricians would usually be present in theatre to manage this if necessary. To try and minimise this effect it is pretty normal to prep and drape before starting the section (so that the surgeon can start as quickly as possible once the mother’s asleep and the time from GA to delivery is as short as poss). Opioid drugs are usually not given until the baby is born because they can affect breathing too.

Indirect things that can affect the baby include that it can be more difficult to manage a pregnant woman’s breathing than it would be if they weren’t pregnant - this may impact the baby if the mother’s oxygen levels drop. There are well practised routines for minimising the chances of this happening/managing it if it does happen.

All of this has to be balanced against the reason for the section though. A GA is often quicker than doing a spinal in a life threatening emergency so may be the safest option. Some women cannot have a spinal/epidural so there’s no alternative but to do a GA. If a spinal doesn’t work as well as expected and a woman’s in pain again there’s no alternative but to switch to GA.

if you have worries about an upcoming section/one you’ve had it’s worth asking to speak to an anaesthetist.