Epidural anesthesia for cesarean section - effective and preferred

To begin with, let's decide what you have a choice. Because, if necessary, an emergency caesarean section for a woman in labor is usually no choice. If something went wrong in childbirth, and it is about saving the life of the mother and child, doctors use the option of anesthesia that is preferred here and now.

But you are getting ready for a planned caesarean section and you can still choose. Before choosing, you can watch a video about anesthesia, find out what an epidural is, whether it hurts and is better than under general anesthesia and make the right and safe choice. Therefore, we dwell in detail on each of the possible types of anesthesia that modern medicine offers.

What anesthesia is better with cesarean section

There are three types of anesthesia:

• Epidural anesthesia for cesarean section. It is carried out mainly during a planned operation. An anesthetist cleans the back with a strongly cooling solution and inserts a needle into the spine. Then the needle is removed, and a thin catheter is inserted in its place, through which the drug enters the spinal cord. It causes an almost complete loss of body sensitivity from the chest to the knees, which can be observed for several hours after childbirth.
• Spinal anesthesia for cesarean section. This option of anesthesia is used mainly in emergency cases. Its difference from epidural anesthesia is that the drug is injected into the cerebrospinal fluid and in smaller doses. At the same time, the woman is also awake, and does not feel pain. But it needs constant correction of the condition due to the possibility of reducing the analgesic effect and the oxygen mask.
• General anesthesia. The patient enters into a state of artificial sleep and wakes up when everything is already behind. But the risk of complications of general anesthesia is significantly higher than other types of anesthesia.

Each anesthesia with caesarean section has its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is very important to discuss in advance with the doctor who will be giving birth to you, using this or that technology.

Indications for the appointment of epidural anesthesia for caesarean section

This type of anesthesia may not be prescribed to everyone. If a woman has low blood pressure, there is a risk of blood loss, there is damage to the nervous system or severe spinal deformities, epidural anesthesia will not be performed. But doctors attribute these contraindications to general ones, which prohibit the use of other drugs. Therefore, more attention is paid to those conditions when epidural anesthesia is vital.

• Gestosis or impaired placental blood flow. When it occurs, oxygen starvation of the fetus occurs, which can lead to severe malformations of its development. Epidural anesthesia improves placental and renal blood flow.
• Pathology of the cardiovascular system. A woman is forbidden to give birth herself because of the risk of complications due to the high load on the heart. Anesthesia allows the heart to work in the usual rhythm.

One of the dangers of epidural anesthesia lies in the possibility of a drop in the blood pressure of the woman in labor. But it is quickly corrected by the introduction of appropriate drugs. Another risk is the baby’s wrong position or fetal depression. But if a cesarean section is performed as planned, and not urgently, such situations are extremely rare.

If we talk about the sensations during and after the introduction of anesthesia, then before the start of the operation, they will not be pleasant, but also not painful. During the insertion of the needle, the doctor may catch the spinal nerve, which sometimes causes leg cramps or numbness. All these are normal manifestations of the procedure that you should not be afraid of. In rare cases, paralysis, spinal nerve damage, and the occurrence of infectious diseases are possible.

General anesthesia or epidural anesthesia for cesarean section - which is better?

Modern medicine offers epidural anesthesia as the best alternative to general anesthesia. The risk from performing the latter is ten times higher than from local anesthesia. Only at first glance it seems that it is better to fall asleep for a couple of hours, and then wake up and happily hug your baby. During deep sleep, sudden changes in pressure and disturbances in the heart rate of the woman in labor are possible, which during her wakefulness are detected much more quickly. And also quickly eliminated without a significant threat to the life and health of two patients.

Choose your anesthesia option for caesarean section very carefully. And do this not with your friends or with your husband, but with your doctor. After all, a doctor is needed not only to tell you about proper nutrition and sex during pregnancy. And in order to maintain the health of a young mother and baby and make the happiness of motherhood truly complete!