EFFECT OF ANAESTHESIA FOR DELIVERY ON THE WEIGHT OF INFANTS DURING THE FIRST 5 DAYS OF LIFE

Two hundred and forty-one neonates who had been delivered vaginallywere selected randomly. The control group consisted of infantsdelivered without anaesthesia. In the study groups either extra-dural(mepivacaine, lignocaine or bupivacaine), spinal or generalanaesthesia was administered. Each of the six groups was dividedinto breast- and bottle-fed subgroups. The results showed no-significantdifference in weight changes among the various groups. The bottle-fedsubgroup showed less weight loss than the breast-fed subgroup(P<0.05). There was no interaction between method of feedingand type of anaesthesia. ^*Also: Department of Obsetetric Anesthesia, Magee Womens Hospital.