Index
When you are pregnant, a multitude of questions and doubts come to mind, both about the baby and about your own body. In fact, the two things end up being one, since what happens to one inevitably ends up affecting the other as well. And that is why so many doubts arise when it comes to anesthesia during pregnancy.
Does it hurt the baby? Are there specific types of anesthesia to be taken during pregnancy? What is prohibited or not? In this text we will address all these questions and clarify all the main doubts regarding anesthesia in pregnancy. But before understanding how it may or may not affect the body of a pregnant woman and her baby, it is necessary to understand how anesthesia works.
Types of anesthesia
Anesthesia is a type of medical procedure used to prevent pain so that other procedures can be done, especially surgical ones. There are basically four types of anesthesia:
- Local anesthesia : Only fall asleep where the procedure will be performed. It is used in simpler cases.
- Regional anesthesia : It is used to make a limb of the body or the trunk to be anesthetized, but without loss of consciousness. It is one of the most common for surgeries.
- Sedation : This type of anesthesia is usually used for exams such as colonoscopy and endoscopy, with the patient losing consciousness during a certain period.
- General Anesthesia : It is the strongest type of anesthesia. In addition to avoiding pain throughout the body, the patient also loses consciousness. It is used for more complex and time-consuming surgeries.
Anesthesia is usually applied through the vein, but there are also some that are done by inhaling the medication. The medically anesthetic passes through the bloodstream and goes to the brain , where the pain signals it emits are modified, making surgical procedures possible.
The time each anesthesia lasts will depend on the type of procedure that will be done, the dosage of the medication and how the application will be made.
Risks of Anesthesia in Pregnancy
Now that you know exactly how anesthesia works, it’s easier to understand why some are recommended for pregnant women while others are not. And with the recommended ones, we mean just that, it’s better that you don’t do it, even if it’s not forbidden to do it. But how so? Let’s explain it better.
In general, any type of anesthesia does not present major problems, that is, the risks of anesthesia in pregnancy are low, but this depends on a number of factors, that is, they exist.
There is a risk of malformation of the baby, for example, but even in general anesthesia, it is practically the same as when a woman does not take anesthesia. Another very low risk is that of the mother’s death, which corresponds to less than 1% of cases.
The greatest risks, on the other hand, are spontaneous abortion and premature birth . The probability of an abortion occurring when a woman takes anesthesia is about 6%, a figure that can reach up to 11% if this anesthesia is given in the first trimester of pregnancy.
The other concern, that of premature birth, must also be great, since there is an 8% chance of this happening when a pregnant woman is submitted to anesthesia.
But then how to deal with this type of problem since anesthesia can harm the baby? As we said earlier, everything will depend on a number of factors. Of course, if you can avoid and only take anesthesia after pregnancy , this is the most recommended.
However, there are urgent situations where performing this procedure is extremely necessary, as it can end up representing a very great risk to the health of the woman and the baby. Everything will be evaluated by medical doctors and they will usually make the least harmful decision for both the mother and the baby.
What Anesthesias Are Allowed in Pregnancy?
When talking about anesthesia in pregnancy, we are talking about a broad term, as, as we have seen here, there are several types. Generally, general anesthesia is stronger and, consequently, poses a greater risk for the woman and the baby.
A regional or local anesthesia, on the other hand, offers a much lower percentage of risks, even if they exist and require a medical evaluation. Each case is different from the other and each situation requires a type of measure.
Is It Allowed To Take Dentist Anesthesia During Pregnancy?
Yes, since it is a local surgery. However, your dentist should be aware that you are pregnant. This is because there are certain substances called vasoconstrictors that normally accompany anesthetic drugs and that can raise blood pressure.
This can cause problems, since the pressure of pregnant women is already higher than normal and many end up having problems with it. If the dentist applies anesthesia without this substance, there will be no problem.
It is very important that pregnant women visit the dentist, as their oral health should not be neglected due to pregnancy. However, it is recommended that this type of treatment be done only in the second trimester of pregnancy , since in the first one the fetus is still forming and any type of medication that a woman uses can end up affecting this.
In the third trimester , the problem is due to the mother’s great anxiety of wanting to see her child arrive and the various distractions that the end of pregnancy can generate. Therefore, the second quarter is always the most recommended.
Anesthesia at the Time of Childbirth
Anesthesias can be used both in normal deliveries and in cesarean sections, although only those involving some surgical process are more frequent. Anesthesia in normal deliveries should only be applied when there is excessive pain during the procedure and this threatens the delivery in some way. In other cases, childbirth must proceed naturally.
In cesarean delivery , a regional surgery is applied in which the lower part of the body is asleep and, consequently, suitable for surgery. It is a procedure that does not pose any risk to the baby , as this type of surgery is usually scheduled in advance and very well analyzed by doctors before being performed.
The pregnancy period is inevitably a period of many doubts, especially for first-time mothers. On some occasions these doubts become more frequent, such as when a woman needs to undergo some treatment that requires anesthesia, such as dental treatment, for example.
However, as you can see, anesthesia in pregnancy is not something totally prohibited or that will bring you some risk, although it is necessary to pay attention to the type of medication that is being used and how it will be applied to you.
The most correct thing to do is to clear up any doubts with your doctor before doing any kind of treatment, as this way you can take anesthesia with much more peace of mind and knowing that it will not affect you or your baby.
See also: Reaction to Postpartum Anesthesia
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
