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Published on: January 31, 2025

Disparities in Obstetric Anesthesia

Mellany Stanislaus1, Allison Lee2

  • 1Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Anesthesiology Clinics
|July 30, 2026
PubMed

This article reviews disparities in obstetric anesthesia within the broader context of maternal health inequities in the United States, where severe maternal morbidity and mortality remain disproportionately high among marginalized populations. The essential role of anesthesiologists in labor analgesia, cesarean delivery, postpartum pain, and critical care during obstetric emergencies is examined. Actionable strategies for change are focused at the institutional and individual levels, and research gaps are highlighted.

Keywords:
Health equityLabor analgesiaMaternal health disparitiesMaternal morbidity and mortalityObstetric anesthesiaPostpartum pain managementStructural inequities

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