• Krzysztof M Kuczkowski.
• Department of Anesthesiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92103-8770, USA. kkuczkowski@ucsd.edu
• Arch. Gynecol. Obstet. 2005 Feb 1;271(2):97-103.

BackgroundObstetrical anesthesia is considered by many to be a high-risk subspecialty of anesthesia practice that is laden with clinical challenges and medico-legal liability. Anesthesia-related complications are the sixth leading cause of pregnancy-related maternal mortality in the United States.ComplicationsDifficult or failed intubation following induction of general anesthesia for cesarean delivery remains the major contributory factor to anesthesia-related maternal complications.RequirementsCommunication skills and exchange of information (between anesthesiologists, obstetricians, and nurses) in an ever changing environment of labor and delivery are essential for a perfect outcome, which is always expected when providing safe passage for both the mother and her fetus from antepartum to postpartum period. The safe provision of labor anesthesia and/or analgesia requires appropriate staff, facilities, and equipment for proper patient safety.DiscussionThis article is intended for obstetricians and reviews the current guidelines for the administration of obstetrical anesthesia and analgesia.

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