ABSTRACT
Introduction: Either regional or general anesthesia is an acceptable approach to providing anesthesia for cesarean delivery. However, regional anesthesia is the widely preferred option considering its multiple benefits. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of spinal anesthesia use, attitude of mothers towards spinal anesthesia, and magnitude of its complications.Methods: This is a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted from April-June 2014 at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital and Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 21 statistical software.Result: During the study period, there were 1,713 deliveries, with overall cesarean section delivery prevalence of 32.5%. The overall proportion of cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia was 68.2%. Only two mothers were given spinal anesthesia in left lateral position. The experience of the anesthetist was the only factor significantly associated with the occurrence of hypotension in a multivariable analysis. Postdural puncture headache after cesarean section with spinal anesthesia was reported in 34.2% of the cases. After the operation, 90.3% of the mothers were happy with the type of anesthesia administration.Conclusion: The rate of spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery in this study is significantly lower than reports from the developed as well as sub-saharan countries implying a need to increase use of this procedure to achieve the recommended 90-95% target and avail epidural anesthesia as an option for those in need. The current practice in administering spinal anesthesia needs to be revised to minimize such side effects