Commonly Used Antiemetics for Prophylaxis of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting After Cesarean Delivery With Neuraxial Morphine: A Network Meta-Analysis

( Br J Anaesth . 2024;132(6):1274–1284. doi:10.1016/j.bja.2024.03.010) Neuraxial morphine (NM) is frequently utilized for pain relief after cesarean delivery (CD) because the majority of CDs are conducted using neuraxial anesthesia. Nevertheless, 60% to 80% of women who do not receive prophylaxis will experience postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Preventing PONV is crucial for maternal satisfaction and timely hospital discharge, especially in the ERAS framework. Although there are recommendations for treating PONV, they are usually geared toward the overall surgical population and may not be completely relevant for obstetric patients who are given NM. Previously, traditional meta-analyses only compared individual antiemetics or classes to a placebo, whereas network meta-analyses (NMA) enabled the comparison of several interventions. A recently published NMA on antiemetics for preventing PONV in CDs included women both receiving and not receiving NM, making it difficult to determine the effectiveness of any antiemetic class in this patient population.