Pain therapy in obstetrics
“Obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia is the only area of anaesthetic practice where two patients are cared for simultaneously.”
Whenever an expectant mother receives pain treatment, an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, and midwives takes care of two patients’ health – the mother and the unborn child. Adequate pain management in the field of obstetrics has undergone fundamental changes not only in the technique itself, but also in the understanding of medical outcome, related risks and the perception of pain.
In a perfect world differentiation between natural and elective birth would be sufficient whereas in reality unforeseen events could increase risk for both, the mother and her unborn child, potentially leading to an emergency. The health conditions mainly determines the suitable analgesia method and the decision between ‘vaginal vs. caesarean birth’. Additionally, factors like cultural background, expert advices and own expectations play an important role.
Modern pain management provides a holistic approach, starting from onset of labour, covering the phases of dilatation and expulsion and ending with treatment of a caesarean wound. Smart product solutions enable the pregnant woman to give birth in the most relaxing atmosphere with reduced or limited pain.
