Conduction anesthesia in obstetrics and its effects upon fetus and newborn

The use of conduction anesthesia has made childbearing a vastly more pleasant experience for the mother and certainly made the practice of obstetrics safer and easier. However, its safety to the fetus and newborn, once unquestioned, has become the subject of much study and concern in recent years. It is the purpose of this article to examine the fetal effects of local anesthetic agents and review some of these agents as well as the regional techniques most commonly employed in the perinatal period with respect to their fetal and maternal safety.