Effects of General Anesthesia During Pregnancy on the Child’s Ability to Learn

As improvements in anesthesiology have minimized mortality and major morbidity, the rare and/or subtle effects of anesthesia are under scrutiny. During the period of rapid brain development, the agents we use to render patients insensate may have long-term effects on the behavior and neurocognitive function of newborns. Studies in fetal and newborn rodents and nonhuman primates present compelling results; more limited retrospective investigations in humans are less conclusive. Two human twin studies are actually reassuring. Although the potential itself is worrisome, at present there is no consensus regarding the cause, prevention, or optimal anesthetic regimen.
Source: Anesthesiology Clinics - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Source Type: research