What are my anesthesia options for cesarean section delivery?
Epidural anesthesia if time allows. Spinal anesthesia. General anesthesia. Regional anesthesia is safer for both mother and baby than general anesthesia. However, emergency circumstances may dictate the use of general anesthesia because of its speed and responsiveness to patient needs. The concern about general anesthesia is the risk of regurgitation (aspiration) of solids or liquids from the mother’s stomach into the lungs while the mother is unconscious. Pregnant women are at a greater risk of this because their stomachs empty more slowly during pregnancy. Please refrain from eating and drinking anything after labor starts.
