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Is it possible to do anesthesia during pregnancy, what
Not every pregnancy is perfect, sometimes the expectant mother and baby may need urgent surgery. Can anesthesia be done during pregnancy? This is decided by the doctor, assessing the health risks of the woman or baby.
Anesthesia during pregnancy: indications and risks
As a rule, during gestation, doctors try to protect the expectant mother from the effects of medications. However, there are emergencies in which the use of drugs and anesthesia is necessary.
Anesthesia during pregnancy is indicated only in extreme cases.
For example:
- emergency caesarean section;
- surgery to remove appendicitis;
- removal of cystic formation, tumor;
- urgent treatment, tooth extraction;
- manipulations with isthmic-cervical insufficiency.
Anesthesia is dangerous with severe complications, it can lead to fetal asphyxia and hypoxia, increased uterine tone, and the risk of a baby’s developmental pathology. In the worst case, miscarriage or premature birth is possible.
The most unfavorable period for anesthesia is from 2 to 8 weeks of pregnancy: the probability of fetal mortality is 8-11%. It was at this time that the organs of the future baby were actively formed. Drugs can lead to miscarriage, as well as the emergence of pathologies and deformities of the fetus.
14-29 weeks is another sensitive period in the life of the expectant mother, during which the risk of premature birth increases. Anesthesia and surgery can aggravate the problem and trigger unplanned contractions.
Anesthesia drugs during pregnancy
Modern pain relievers are not as dangerous as they seem at first glance. The technique of the procedure plays an important role: a competent anesthesiologist must monitor changes in the level of oxygen in the blood of a pregnant woman, as well as monitor surges in blood pressure.
Local and epidural anesthesia are the preferred methods of pain relief for pregnant women. However, in serious surgical operations, anesthesia is used under general anesthesia, with artificial ventilation of the lungs. The most popular drugs:
- ketamine;
- glycopyrrolate;
- promedol;
- lidocaine.
Preparations containing adrenaline should be treated with caution. Deterioration of blood flow to the placenta, as well as a sharp narrowing of blood vessels are just some of the possible consequences of their use.
You can avoid unpleasant manipulations by conducting a full health examination before pregnancy and reducing the risk of serious illness to a minimum.