In many sheep research groups, maternal analgesia is delayed until after fetal surgery due to concerns about maternal or fetal side effects. Research scholar Sarah Alaniz led this study to test whether buprenorphine given before surgery affects recovery in pregnant sheep.
We randomized pregnant ewes to receive buprenorphine either before or after catheterization surgery at mid-gestation. Outcomes were similar between groups. Recovery times tended to be slightly shorter in the preoperative treatment group.
These results support the use of preoperative buprenorphine as a safe and effective option for analgesia in fetal sheep models.