The Anaesthetic Technique of Choice among Pregnant Women fo r Caesarean Section in a Tertiary Health Centre

Objective: This study is to ascertain the preferred choice of anaesthetic technique and their reasons, among pre gnant women schedule for caesarean section during preoperative visit in Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe. Methodology: This was a three year prospective study [from June, 2010May, 2013] of pregnant women sched uled for either elective or emergency caesarean section. During the preoperative visit, patients were counselled and consent obtained on either regional or general anaesthesia and their reasons for the choice documented. Results: A total of 1,350 women were interviewed during the three years period of the study.]The total of four h undred and sixty one patients (n=461, 34.1%) were scheduled for emergency caesarean section, while eight hun dred and eighty nine patients (n=889, 65.9%) were scheduled for an elective caesarean sections. They were age d 17-40 years with the mean age of 27.84 +/-4.43 years. The parity ranged from 1-12. Majority of the patients 9 45 (70%) preferred regional anaesthesia, while 405 (30%) preferred general anaesthesia The common reasons f or their preference to regional anaesthesia include early contact with their babies, fear of death from general a naesthesia, want to know what is going on in the theatre, general anaesthesia is more dangerous, patient being awake, reduced blood loss, cheaper and well tolerated however, others preferred general anaesthesia because o f fears of the complications of regional anaesthesia e.g. backache, headache etc. Conclusion: We conclude that regional anaesthesia is the preferred technique of choice for most pregnant wom en undergoing caesarean sections in our centre. Detail preoperative review with emphases on counselling of the patients by the anaesthetists on the advantages of regional anaesthesia over the general anaesthesia will encou rage the high preference of regional over general anaesthesia. We therefore, recommend that preoperative revie w should be encouraged in all hospitals and in all patients undergoing either emergency or elective caesarean s ections.