[Neonatal effects of uterine incision-to-delivery interval during elective cesarean section under epidural anesthesia].

The relationships between uterine incision to delivery interval (U-DI) and neonatal umbilical blood acid-base status and Apgar scores at 1-minute were studied in 130 healthy parturients undergoing elective cesarean section under epidural anesthesia. U-DI was correlated with umbilical venous (UV) and umbilical arterial (UA) pH, PCO2 and PO2, and was also correlated with 1-minute Apgar scores. U-DI of more than 150 sec was associated with significantly higher UVPCO2, UAPCO2, lower UVpH, UApH, UVPO2, and UAPO2. The only two newborns with low 1-minute Apgar scores (6 and 3) in the present study both had prolonged U-DI (> 150 sec) and inhaled amniotic fluid just before the delivery. It is concluded that U-DI of more than 150 sec has considerable influence on the neonatal status.