[Neurobehavior and mental development of newborn infants delivered under epidural analgesia with bupivacaine]

Abstract

The neurobehavior of newborn infants delivered under epidural analgesia with bupivacaine was analyzed by Amiel-Tison's Neurological and Adaptive Capacity Score (NACS), while Tsumori-Image's questionnaire assessed the above infants' mental development. Seventy-two newborn infants under epidural analgesia (39 delivered spontaneously and 33 by vacuum extraction) and twenty-eight newborn infants without epidural analgesia as controls (15 delivered spontaneously and 13 by vacuum extraction) were under study. The following results were obtained 1) In the 24 hour period following childbirth, NACS tended to be low in relation to the total dosage of bupivacaine administered to the mother. 2) In the 24 hour period following childbirth and continuing until the 3rd day, NACS were relatively low regardless of the mode of delivery. 3) There was no significant difference between the neonatal physiological weight loss in newborn infants under epidural analgesia and those without epidural analgesia (controls). 4) Newborn infants under epidural analgesia displayed an average mental quotient at the first, third, and sixth month after childbirth. Although epidural analgesia with bupivacaine might lower the neurobehavior of newborn infants in the immediate postchildbirth period, the newborn infants should return to normal without any complications.