ESTABLISHING THE CRITERIA FOR ANESTHESIA AND OTHER PRECAUTIONS FOR SURGERY DURING PREGNANCY

The approach to the pregnant patient who requires nonobstetric surgery requires a thorough knowledge of the normal maternal adaptations to p regnancy, the potential fetal effects of any diagnostic and therapeuti c modalities needed, and the potential for obstetric complication seco ndary to the planned procedure. This article reviews the physiologic m aternal adaptations to pregnancy (Table 1), which may alter the anesth etic and surgical approach, the fetal effects of drugs and radiation, and potential obstetric sequelae of surgical intervention during pregn ancy.