Abstract
Background: High-risk obstetric patients require careful anesthetic planning due to increased maternal morbidity. General Anesthesia (GA) and Spinal Anesthesia (SA) remain the two primary techniques used for delivery, yet their comparative safety in high-risk populations remains a key clinical concern.
Objective: To compare anesthetic techniques and complication rates between GA and SA among high-risk obstetric patients undergoing delivery.
Methods: A comparative observational study was conducted with 156 high-risk obstetric patients equally divided into GA (n = 78) and SA (n = 78) groups. High-risk conditions included preeclampsia, placenta previa, multiple gestations, chronic hypertension, and renal disease. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic and clinical variables, while inferential tests—including Chi-square, independent t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Odds Ratio—were used to assess differences between groups.
Results: Complication rates were significantly higher in the GA group (27.8%) compared to the SA group (11.1%) (χ² = 4.50, p = 0.034). Mean blood loss was greater in GA patients (460 ± 130 mL) than in SA patients (390 ± 110 mL) (t = 2.45, p = 0.017). Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in the SA group (median 4, IQR 3–6) compared to GA (median 6, IQR 5–8) (U = 420.5, p = 0.009). GA patients were 2.5 times more likely to experience complications compared to those receiving SA.
Conclusion: Spinal anesthesia demonstrated a significantly better safety profile than general anesthesia in high-risk obstetric patients, showing lower complication rates, reduced blood loss, and improved pain outcomes. SA should be preferred over GA when not contraindicated to enhance maternal safety in high-risk deliveries.