Correlation between the fetal weight, placenta weight, amniotic fluid amount and the development of hypotension after spinal anesthesia for cesarean section patients

Aim: After spinal anesthesia, there are studies investigating the hypotension, ephedrine need and sensory block level according to the weight or abdominal circumference of the pregnant woman. Pregnant’s weight or abdominal circumference is a rough description of the uterine content (the weight of the fetus, the weight of the placenta and amount of the amniotic fluid). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between weight of the fetus, weight of the placenta and amount of the amniotic fluid and the ephedrine need after spinal anesthesia. Material and Method: Fifty-one parturients who underwent cesarean section with spinal anesthesia were included in the study. 12.5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine was injected into the subarachnoid space at the L3-4 intervertebral level. After spinal anesthesia, hypotension was defined as systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg or 30% decrease compared to baseline. Ephedrine (5 mg) was administered when hypotension was present. Bradycardia was defined as heart beat <60 beats / min. Atropine (0.5 mg) was made when bradycardia was present. Before spinal anesthesia and after spinal anesthesia, blood pressure values at 2, 5, 10, 20 and 30th minutes were recorded. At the end of the study, blood pressure variation, ephedrine and atropine requirement were evaluated according to fetus weight, placenta weight and amnion fluid amount. Result: No significant correlation was found between fetal weight, placenta weight, amniotic fluid index and ephedrine requirement (r = 0.063, p = 0.660; r = 0.093, p = 0.518; r = 0.162, p = 0.257, respectively). Conclusion: After spinal anesthesia, there are no relation between amount of the ephedrine used and fetal weight, placenta weight, amniotic fluid amount in pregnant women