Advances in Obstetric Anaesthesia

Advances in obstetric anaesthesia over the last decade have spanned multiple areas. Enhancement in neuraxial labour analgesic techniques, postpartum pain management modalities and prevention of intraoperative hypotension during caesarean delivery have contributed to the improvement of care. More progress is needed in many areas, including the influence of epidural analgesia on the duration of the second stage of labour and instrumental vaginal delivery rates, the safety of remifentanil-PCA for labour analgesia and its influence on labour and delivery outcomes, the establishment of enhanced recovery protocols after labour or caesarean delivery, the implementation of key indicators to drive quality improvements in perinatal care and obstetric anaesthesia, the use of point of care coagulation testing for managing obstetric haemorrhage, the implementation of novel analgesic techniques for managing the post-punction headache etc. 

The goal of this special issue is to collect as many contributions as possible on these topics relevant to obstetric anaesthesia to help clinicians to improve and personalize obstetric anaesthesia therapies and interventions. With a view to this goal, we are cordially inviting all the members of the obstetrical team, anaesthesiologists, perinatologists, neonatologists and midwifes to contribute to this special issue.