ABSTRACT
This prospective comparative study was undertaken to determine the effect of the type of anesthesia for elective cesarean section on neonatal and maternal outcome. Forty-five ASA I-II women presenting for elective cesarean section were randomly assigned to receive either sevoflurane or isoflurane in a 50% N2O and O2 for maintenance of anesthesia or spinal anesthesia using 2.5 ml hyperbaric bupivacaine. Intraoperative hemodynamic variables and perioperative adverse events were recorded. Neonates were assessed by Apgar scores, neurological adaptive capacity scores [NACS], early neonatal neurobehavioral scale [ENNS], umbilical cord blood gas analysis and cortisol level. Maternal recovery times and time of analgesic request were recorded. From the results obtained, it was concluded that spinal anesthesia is as effective as general anesthesia with favorable maternal and fetal outcome and sufficient postoperative analgesia. Both inhalational agents were otherwise similar, but faster emergence and rapid recovery characteristic after maintenance of anesthesia with sevoflurane was observed. So, sevoflurane appears to be more satisfactory for cesarean section than isoflurane