Obstetric Anesthesia: Leading the Way in Patient Safety

The subspecialty of obstetric anesthesiology has embraced patient safety research, which has led to a reduction in obstetric anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality. Although there are innumerable individual improvements, this article highlights the following innovations: safer and more effective labor analgesia, safer treatments for hypotension associated with neuraxial blockade, advances in spinal and epidural techniques for operative deliveries, lower incidence of postdural puncture headache through improved technology, safer parental agents for labor analgesia, improved safety of general anesthesia in obstetrics, improved education and the use of simulation including team training, and reductions in operating room–related infections.