During pregnancy, surgical interventions that are not related to pregnancy may be necessary. In cases of trauma such as falls, traffic accidents, acute appendicitis, gastric perforation, surgical intervention and therefore anesthesia may be required. Anesthesia is also applied during birth or cesarean section. Variables such as the type of operation to be performed, the surgical area, the urgency of the procedure, and the experience of the anesthesiologist determine which anesthesia method will be used.
Due to physiological changes that occur during pregnancy, preparation before anesthesia is subject to changes. Changes in fluid dynamics cause the pregnant woman to be more hypotensive. Therefore, the vascular bed is filled with fluid before anesthesia to prevent a drop in blood pressure. While the stomach contents normally empty in 6 hours, it takes longer for pregnant women to empty their stomachs. Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women fast for at least 8 hours before the intervention. At the same time, since the effects and durations of the anesthetics to be used are longer and longer in pregnant women, both local and general anesthesia are applied by adjusting the dose. The exposure times to anesthetic gases used during labor are minimized by calculating their potential effects on the baby.
In the operation to be performed in pregnant women, local or regional anesthesia can be applied if appropriate. Epidural anesthesia method that can be applied during normal delivery is a regional anesthesia type. Pregnant women do not feel pain during delivery but can push and move. The method that can also be used for cesarean section surgery also provides ease in relieving pain after the operation thanks to the pain pump that can be attached. Other abdominal operations unrelated to pregnancy can also be performed with this method. Since the waist, abdominal area and legs are completely affected in spinal anesthesia method, it cannot be used during normal delivery. Because the loss of strength in the abdominal muscles prevents the pregnant woman from pushing during delivery and makes the delivery difficult. It is a frequently preferred practical method in cesarean section.
The first three months of pregnancy are the period when general anesthesia is not preferred except in emergencies. The second three months are the period when general anesthesia can be applied. Therefore, planned operations that can be postponed are usually performed during this period. General anesthesia is the most commonly used method during cesarean section. However, in emergencies, the thing to watch out for is fasting. If the stomach is not empty and the patient vomits under the effect of anesthesia, stomach contents can get into the lungs. This can lead to very serious complications. Therefore, if there is not enough fasting time, spinal anesthesia is preferred in emergency operations.
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