To date, with operative delivery, one of two methods of anesthesia is used: general anesthesia (anesthesia) or regional anesthesia ( spinal or epidural). Despite the fact that the methods of regional anesthesia are becoming more common, anesthesia with caesarean section remains quite popular due to its simplicity and effectiveness.
General anesthesia for caesarean section - indications
Cesarean section under general anesthesia is rare today: most women during surgery want to be conscious and immediately put the baby to the breast. However, there are indications for this method of anesthesia:
- Contraindications to regional anesthesia (bleeding, clotting disorder);
- impossibility of carrying out regional anesthesia (pathological obesity, extensive operation on the spine);
- refusal of the parturient woman from spinal or epidural anesthesia;
- special obstetric situations ( transverse position of the child , prolapse of the umbilical cord, etc.);
- the need for an emergency caesarean section.
Cesarean section: which anesthesia is better?
If your baby is born as a result of a planned caesarean section, then you will most likely be offered to choose the method of anesthesia. For a surgeon, a cesarean under general anesthesia will always be preferable (the patient quickly turns off and completely relaxes, her cardiovascular system does not experience overloads).
For a future mother, general anesthesia with caesarean section is not the best choice: medications are not always well tolerated, they also get to the baby through the placenta, causing central nervous system depression. As a result, both mother and baby can feel nausea, weakness, drowsiness several days after the operation. Besides,
However, in case of an emergency operation, when every minute is expensive, you will be given general anesthesia with cesarean. In this case, the wishes of the woman in childbirth do not play a decisive role, so do not argue with the anesthesiologist and the surgeon: their task is to save the life of the mother and baby.