S1 Guideline: Obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia

In principle analgesia and anaesthesia in obstetrics involves two patients, mother and child. Selecting the right procedure should therefore also take into consideration any potential effects on the child. The second revised recommendation on obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia of the German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) and the Professional Association of German Anaesthesiolo-gists (BDA) in coopera-tion with the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) has been updated. The focus of the AWMF (Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany)-S1-Guideline is now set on: patient information, case history and the physical examination of pregnant women; analgesia to achieve low-pain vaginal delivery; legal, organisational and logistical aspects of anaesthesiological delivery-room care of pregnant women; anaesthesia in cases of caesarean section, special issues relating to the postpartal phase; handling of risk groups and quality indicators in obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia. Some sections like the airway algorithm and the management of airway complications during caesarean section or attending to patients with preeclampsia for eclampsia are cross-sectoral issues which have been elaborated in close scientific cooperation with the respective working group (Airway Management) and the DGGG Guideline Commission (Hypertensive Pregnancy Diseases: Diagnostics and Therapy).