Obstetric Analgesia and Anaesthesia- the Current Scene

THE PAST two decades have seen considerable advances in 'the techniques of obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia, and an equally marked change in the general philosophy which governs the approach to these sulbjects. The latter change has, in major part, resulted from tihe fact that With the steep deceline in maternal and perinatal mortality and 'morbidity consequent upon obstetric complications, the dangers to mother and child in-herent in ill-conducted and poorlychosen techniques of pain relief become more easily apparent. The -tenor of practice in Britain has further 'been modified as a consequence of the increasing incidence of hospital, as distinct from domiciliary, deliveries. A judicial review of all t-he techniques of obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia would be of monograph length (Crawford 1965 a). This 'paper will be concerned only witih a discussion of those drugs and techniques which merit retention in the field of clinical practice.