Background: The aim was to determine the effect of regional anesthesia (RA) on postoperative vital functions in contrast to general endotracheal anesthesia (GEA) after the cesarean section.
Methods: Prospective cohort study included consecutive term pregnant women delivered by cesarean section (GEA, n = 284; RA, n = 249).
Results: Higher levels of blood pressure and heart rate, as well as lower levels of pulse oximetry were found for GEA in contrast to RA (p < 0.001). The application of RA presented less side-effects (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: RA for cesarean section should be preferred when balancing the risks and benefits for the mother and fetus.
Keywords: Cesarean section; anesthesia; blood pressure; general; heart rate; pulse oximetry; regional; vital function.