Obstetrical Anesthesiology

The Department of Anesthesiology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center believes that every expectant woman deserves the highest quality of care, as well as accurate and current information on labor analgesia options. We seek to provide safe, effective pain relief that is consistent with each woman’s labor plan and will do all we can so that your birth experience is the best it can be for you.

We provide an array of obstetrical anesthesiology services. Residents and staff physicians combine to provide education for labor analgesia, consultations for high risk obstetrical patients, elective epidural/spinal anesthesia for labor analgesia, and anesthesia for caesarian sections. Anesthesiology services are provided by both resident and staff physicians at DHMC 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We provide anesthetic services to hundreds of women annually undergoing both vaginal and c-section births. The Birthing Pavilion consists of 18 labor and delivery beds plus two fully equipped operating rooms. We provide care to patients with a wide range of pregnancy-related issues and complications, including pre-eclampsia, diabetes, pre-term labor, morbid obesity and multiple gestation.

As a patient on the Birthing Pavilion (obstetrical floor), you are always welcome to contact us for information regarding the different anesthetic options. Discussing the services we provide in no way commits you to receiving them; our goal is to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information available so that you can make decisions that you believe are best for you and your baby.

Please click on the links below for further information.

General labor pain control web-site links:

http://www.brighamandwomens.org/painfreebirthing/introduction.asp

http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/labordelivery.pdf

DHMC Obstetrical Anesthesia Information Class

I have a question about my condition and how it relates to labor anesthesia; whom should I ask?

Information for Obstetrical Residents