Hypothesis: volatile anaesthetic agents enhance transplacental exchange between mother and fetus. A preliminary study of fetal scalp blood gas changes associated with enflurane anaesthesia.

A hypothesis that volatile anaesthetic agents, represented by enflurane, facilitate transplacental exchange was tested by simultaneous blood sampling of both mother and fetus. A trend towards improved fetal scalp blood gas status and maternal-to-fetal acid-base matching was observed with enflurane. Our results encourage further research into the feasibility of intra-uterine fetal resuscitation by anaesthetically induced promotion of intervillous perfusion.