Anaesthesia | Obstetrics | The Obese Mother

The Obese Mother
Session Overview
Description
The anaesthetic considerations and management of the obese parturient.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Describe the epidemiological impact of obesity upon the pregnant population
• Relate the pathophysiological changes of obesity in pregnancy to the potential complications
• Plan the anaesthetic management of an obese woman in pregnancy

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should complete:

• Physiological Changes During Pregnancy (001-0368)
• Regional Analgesia 2: Technique – Epidural CSE Analgesia (001-0377)
• Regional Analgesia 3: Technique – Spina CSE Anaesthesia (001-0378)

The prevalence of obesity continues to increase both in the community and on the labour ward.

During pregnancy, obesity is associated with:

• Hypertensive disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Respiratory disorders
• Thromboembolic disease
• Increased Caesarean section rate

Obese women pose significant technical challenges and are at high risk of:

• Airway complications
• Cardiopulmonary dysfunction
• Perioperative morbidity and mortality

Obesity influences fetal outcome. Effective teamworking between anaesthetist and obstetrician is essential. Regional anaesthetic techniques are associated with reduced anaesthesia-related maternal mortality.