Neonatal neurobehavioral effects of inhalation analgesia for vaginal delivery

Abstract

The authors studied the neonatal neurobehavioral effects of nitrous oxide:oxygen and enflurane:oxygen inhalation analgesia for vaginal delivery. Parturients were assigned randomly to receive no inhalation agent (Group 1, n = 21); enflurane, 0.3 to 0.8 per cent, and oxygen (Group 2, n = 22); or nitrous oxide, 30 to 50 per cent, and oxygen (Group 3, n = 18). Infants were tested at 15 min, 2 h, and 24 h of age using the Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Score (NACS); and at 2 and 24 h using the Early Neonatal Neurobehavioral Scale (ENNS). No significant differences in neurobehavioral status occurred. For all groups, scores tended to be lowest at two hours of age. We conclude that neither enflurane nor nitrous oxide analgesia adversely affects neonatal neurobehavioral status at 15 min, 2 h, or 24 h of age.