The Historical Development of Obstetric Anesthesia and Its Contributions to Perinatology
Scottish obstetrician James Young Simpson first introduced the use of ether and chloroform anesthesia for labor in 1847, just 1 year after William Morton’s first successful public demonstration of ether anesthesia at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The contemporaneous development of surgical anesthesia and obstetrics enabled obstetric anesthesia to address the pain of childbirth. Shortly after its introduction, obstetricians raised concerns regarding placental transport or the idea that drugs not only crossed the placenta but exerted detrimental effects on the neonate. The development of regional anesthesia and clinical work in obstetric anesthesia and perinatology addressed issues of the safety of the neonate, enabling obstetric anesthesia to safely and dramatically reduce the pain of childbirth.
PMID: 27434694 DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1585409
Dr. Mustafa ZAKARIA is an Obstetric Anaesthetist, and practitioner involved in caring for pregnant women in the Kingdom of Morocco and overseas.
He produces free, evidence-based information for the public about epidurals and other forms of labour pain relief and anaesthesia for caesarean section.
A key objective is promoting safety in maternity care.