Regional Anesthesia and Analgesia for Labor and Delivery

Abstract
The maternal and fetal effects of analgesia during labor and delivery are issues of concern to patients, anesthesiologists, and obstetrical caregivers. Roughly 60 percent of women in the United States choose epidural or combined spinal–epidural anesthesia during labor. This Medical Progress article reviews current considerations, risks, and benefits of regional analgesia and anesthesia during both vaginal and cesarean deliveries.