Obstetric Anaesthesia

The Oxford Specialist Handbook in Obstetric Anaesthesia returns for a second edition with updated practical management advice for medical and nursing staff in a portable, accessible format.

An invaluable quick-reference resource for all consultant anaesthetists and SAS doctors involved in obstetric anaesthesia, as well as a succinct exam revision aid for the FRCA, this go-to guide provides incisive coverage of all aspects of the sub-specialty. This is essential reading for anyone working on the labour ward, with concise instructions for both antenatal and postnatal care.

· Illustrated with clear line diagrams of the ideal positioning for regional techniques.
· Includes top tips for techniques and troubleshooting, plus practical advice for the busy labour ward.
· Headings and bullet points are used throughout for ease of reference and navigation.
· Fully updated, with new chapters on 'Obesity in Pregnancy', 'Neonatal Resuscitation', 'The Sick and Septic Mother', and 'Ultrasound in Obstetric Practice'.

Rachel Collis, Consultant Anaesthetist, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK,Sarah Harries, Consultant Anaesthetist, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK,Abrie Theron, Consultant Anaesthetist, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK

Rachel Collis MBBS FRCA MSc qualified from St Bartholomew's Hospital, London University in 1986. After training in anaesthesia in the major teaching hospitals around London and finding a passion for obstetric anaesthesia whilst working as a specialist registrar at Queen Charlottes Hospital, she moved to Cardiff in 1997 to take up a consultant post with a special interest in obstetric anaesthesia.
She has a special interest in the management of the high risk parturient and has led on multiple quality improvement initiatives including the outcomes of post-partum haemorrhage and the early recognition and treatment of maternal sepsis.
She has a long standing interest in obstetric anaesthetic research and has published regularly in this area regularly since 1993. She was awarded an Honorary Professorship by the Obstetric Anaesthetist Associated (OAA) in May 2017 for contributions to obstetric anaesthesia research.


Sarah Harries MBBS FRCA qualified from Royal Free School of Medicine, University of London in 1991. Following medicine and anaesthesia training in the South West of England and Nottingham, she returned to her home country of Wales as a Specialist Registrar in 1997 with a keen will to follow her love of obstetric anaesthesia and all its complexities. Appointed Consultant Anaesthetist with specialist interest in Obstetric and Transplant Anaesthesia at The University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff in 2002. She has held leadership roles within postgraduate medical education and training in Wales since 2006. Current appointments include RCoA Regional Adviser Anaesthesia for Wales and Head of Specialty School Anaesthesia and ICM, Health Education and Improvement Wales.


Abrie Theron MBChB MRCP FRCA qualified from the University of Pretoria in 1999 and worked in rural South Africa for 2 years. In 2002, he moved to the UK and trained in medicine and anaesthesia in Exeter, completing his anaesthetic training in Wales in 2012. The same year he was appointed as a Consultant in Cardiff. Specialist interest includes Obstetric Anaesthesia and Anaesthesia for Gynaecological Oncology, ENT, Orthopaedics and Eye surgery.
He was appointed Deputy Clinical Director within the Department of Perioperative Medicine at the University Hospital of Wales in January 2016. Other current leadership roles include: Co-opted member of Royal College of Anaesthetists Council as Chair of the Advisory Board for Wales / National Specialty Advisory Group Anaesthesia, and Vice-Chair of Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Wales.

1. Thinking about obstetric anaesthesia, Rachel Collis
2. Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths (CEMD), Nuala Lucas and James Bamber
3. Maternal physiology, Korede Adekanye and Paul Abrie Theron
4. Maternal pathophysiology, Korede Adekanye and Abrie Theron
5. Antenatal assessment and Pain management, Rachel Collis, Lucy De Lloyd, and David Hill
6. Non-regional labour analgesia, Matt Turner and Graeme Lilley
7. Regional techniques in pregnancy, Rachel Collis and Sarah Harries
8. Ultrasound in Obstetric Practice (New), Rafal Baraz
9. Regional analgesia for labour, Sarah Harries and Rachel Collis
10. Anaesthesia for Caesarean section: basic principles, Rachel Collis
11. Anaesthesia for Caesarean section: Regional anaesthesia, Sarah Harries and Rachel Collis
12. Anaesthesia for Caesarean section: General anaesthesia, Rhidian Jones and Stephen Morris
13. Post delivery symptom control, Gemma Keigthley and Sarah Harries
14. Anaesthesia and Analgesia for specific obstetric indications, Sarah Harries
15. Post partum review and complications, Sarah Harries
16. Obesity in Pregnancy, Huda Al-Foudri, Stuart Davies, and Abrie Theron
17. The Sick and Septic Mother, Lucy De Lloyd and Sarah Bell
18. Major Obstetric Haemorrhage, Sue Catling and Susan Williams
19. Hypertentive disease, Eleanor Lewis and Stuart Davies
20. Embolic disease, Abrie Theron
21. The collapsed parturient, Rachel Collis
22. Anaesthesia for non-obstetric surgery, Martin Garry
23. The fetus, Christine Conner
24. Neonatal resuscitation, Angela Hayward
25. A-Z conditions, Rachel Collis and David Leslie