2007-06-04 13:31:42 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
They are! There is a whole sub-specialty of anesthesia concerning obstetrics!
We use epidural and/or subarachnoid (spinal) analgesia and anesthesia for labor, delivery and cesarean delivery.
The reason inhalation anesthesia is not used for vaginal delivery is that pregnant moms are at increased risk for aspiration (inhaling vomit), and inhalation anesthetics obliterate normal airway reflexes. (They can inhale their vomit and die. We hate that.)
All a pregnant woman has to do is ask, and we're there.
2007-06-04 14:09:11 · answer #1 · answered by Pangolin 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
epidurals, and less frequently spinals, are used for labor analgesia. general anesthesia (being made unconscious) is not induced for labor analgesia mainly because:
1. an unconscious mom is not very helpful pushing out the baby
2. fetal depression- the anesthetics can cross the placenta and cause the baby to not breathe or have decreased heartrate upon birth.
3. increased risk of aspiration for mom as pangolin said- although we could theoretically solve that problem by intubating the mom... but it would still remain a risk.
4. social factors- these days, some moms are fairly insistent on having a "natural childbirth" experience. they would view even having a labor epidural as somehow a failure on their part. i can't imagine any mothers out there agreeing to be put to sleep for labor analgesia, although i'm sure there are some out there!
2007-06-06 17:52:47 · answer #2 · answered by belfus 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the function of anesthetics is to relax muscles and block memory as well as eliminate pain and relaxing muscles is exactly what you don't want in child birth unless you are doing a C-section which is surgery. Many women do have some pain killing - it's called an epidural.
2007-06-04 20:37:43 · answer #3 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Many women have epidurals, which inject painkillers directly into the spinal cord to numb the pain. Beyond that, anesthetics are not widely used because the mother needs to push the baby out, and if local anesthesia has been used she may not be able to. Also, local anesthetics may be harmful to the baby.
2007-06-04 20:45:06 · answer #4 · answered by jellybeanchick 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Epidural anesthesia is pretty popular. Some anesthetics will interfere with labor, and even simple pain-relievers drug the baby. It's largely a safety issue.
2007-06-04 22:03:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some use a simpler method of reducing pain, a mixture of oxygen and Nitrous oxide, when pain got too much they are sometimes offered it. I think it was called Entonox.
2007-06-04 21:10:11 · answer #6 · answered by Helen B 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Epidurals hurt like hell. Its like a lumbar puncture. I think id rather endure labour pains.. And most dont want it cause u cant feel anything so u dont even know if ur even pushing or not. This is bad for the baby.
2007-06-06 20:57:08 · answer #7 · answered by help the obese! 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You idiot, of course they are used during child birth. Local anasthetics.
2007-06-04 20:37:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Sometimes they do, what do you think epidurals are?
2007-06-04 20:35:03 · answer #9 · answered by WC 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋