Preface

Obstetric anesthesia encompasses the anesthetic and analgesic procedures performed during all the stages of labor for vaginal delivery as well as cesarean section. Anesthesiologists have cared for the security of pregnant women since 1847 when James Young Simpson performed the first analgesia for labor. Since then, and even more in the last decades, obstetric anesthesia has become an important aspect of routine anesthetic practice, as women demand to be able to enjoy painless childbirth.

Obstetric anesthesia is a challenge for all of us, because it involves two patients in the same procedure, with different physiologic characteristics, and with different needs. For this reason, our primary target should be to promote a painless and safe delivery, without disturbing uterine contractions or fetoplacental circulation.

Obstetric anesthesia requires a comprehensive approach, not only limiting us to pain relief during labor, but also including the appropriate management of cesarean section and of any potential complications derived of both labor and surgery, while avoiding any fetal compromise.

The Editors of this handbook consider it essential that anesthesiologists understand the importance of obstetric anesthesia in our daily practice. In this handbook, we intend to compile all updated, didactic, and exhaustive information, and we deem every professional should know to face the act of anesthetizing a pregnant patient.

Finally, we would like to thank the co-authors’ collaboration for the achievement of this handbook. As we are all professionals from different institutions, we are able to compare different scenarios and ways to conduct anesthesia, which enriches the text content. Lastly, we would like to acknowledge the readers of this handbook, who are responsible for modern, high-quality and safe anesthesia. These last words are dedicated to the new generation of anesthesiologists; we hope that with this handbook they acquire new knowledge and benefit from our experience.