KNOWLEDGE

• Pain pathways during labor/delivery.
• The major physiology changes in the pregnant woman as pregnancy progresses, at term, during labor and delivery, and in the post-partum period.
• Uteroplacental circulation and respiratory gas exchange and what various physiologic implications of different forms of anesthesia do to the circulation and exchange.
• The effects of regional and general anesthesia on uterine activity and labor.
  Alternative forms of anesthesia for the pregnant patient including systemic, intrathecal, and other regional anesthetic techniques.
• Tocolytic agents
• Fetal monitoring
• Pathophysiologic conditions: toxemia, abruption

SKILLS

• Alternative forms of anesthesia for the pregnant patient including systemic, intrathecal, and other regional anesthetic techniques.

PERFORMANCE

• How these physiologic changes affect the anesthetic management of the pregnant patient.
• The choice of local anesthetics in obstetrics, sites of action, differential blockade, advantages and disadvantages, doses for epidural, intrathecal sites, use of adjuvants.
• When various anesthetic techniques are appropriate and inappropriate in obstetrics, such as regional anesthesia, (spinal, epidural, other) or general anesthesia.
• Appropriate anesthetic management of the patient presenting for a Cesarean section, under either emergent or non-emergent conditions.
• Anesthetic management and implications of the parturient with preeclamsia-eclampsia.
• Anesthesia for post-partem sterilization as well as dilation and curettage and termination of pregnancies.
• Anesthesia for pre-term labor/delivery.