Regional anesthesia for obstetrics

The practice of administration of labor analgesia has undergone dramatic changes this decade. This is largely attributable to unparalleled interest in the field by many dedicated and capable investigators around the world. Through their efforts, this decade has witnessed the introduction of new techniques (pencil point needles, CSE, PCEA, ultradilute epidural regimens) that have permitted us to come closer than ever to realizing the goal of complete relief from the pain and suffering of labor while safeguarding the well-being of mother and child and minimizing effects on the labor process. Neuraxial anesthetic techniques and modern multimodal analgesic approaches to postoperative pain relief now minimize the effects of cesarean delivery on maternal satisfaction and participation in the birth process.