Gp. Marquette et al., EPIDURAL-ANESTHESIA FOR ELECTIVE CESAREAN-SECTION DOES NOT INFLUENCE FETAL UMBILICAL ARTERY BLOOD-FLOW INDEXES, Canadian journal of anaesthesia, 41(11), 1994, pp. 1053-1056
This prospective study was completed to determine the influence of epi
dural anaesthesia on the fetoplacental circulation of normal subjects.
Thirty-seven normal pregnant patients at term, undergoing elective Ca
esarean section, had Doppler measurements of the fetal umbilical arter
y blood flow velocity before and after epidural anaesthesia using lido
caine 2% without epinephrine. There were no differences in systolic/di
astolic, resistance or pulsality indices following epidural anaesthesi
a. These results suggest that this technique has no adverse effect on
fetoplacental circulation in normal non-labouring subjects.