Study of the newborn feeding behaviors and fentanyl concentration in colostrums after an analgesic dose of epidural and intravenous fentanyl in caesarian section

ABSTRACT

To compare the effects of epidural and intravenous fentanyl on breast feeding behaviors and fentanyl concentration in colostrums after an analgesic dose. In Obstetric Department Kasr-El Aini Hospital-Cairo University. This study included 100 breast feeding mothers. All mothers were healthy multipara who gave birth. Prospective comparative study to full term healthy newborns by caesarian section using epidural anaesthesia or spinal anaesthesia with intravenous fentanyl. The studied patients were 100 multipara who had previous history of successful breastfeeding before. They were divided into 2 groups, group [1] included 50 patients who received epidural anaesthesia with fentanyl, and group [2] included 50 patients who received spinal anaesthesia with intravenous fentanyl, and both groups were observed for initial breast feeding behaviors of newborns and fentanyl concentration in colostrums at 45 minutes and 24 hours after birth. There were no statistically difference in breast feeding behaviors at birth or at 24 hours of age in both groups'. The levels of fentanyl concentration were greatest at 45 minutes of the initial sampling time reaching 0.40 +/- 0.059 ng/ml in the epidural group and, 0.19 +/- 0.019 ng/ml in intravenous fentanyl group. Although the levels of fentanyl concentration were greatest at 45 minutes of the initial sampling time it can be used safely as intravenous or epidural without affecting the initial breast feeding behaviors of the newborn