Procedure, part 1

Many doctors prefer using general anesthesia, which renders the patient unconscious, for emergency C-sections because it can be administered quickly and takes effect almost immediately. When the C-section is planned, the doctor may order regional anesthetics (a spinal or an epidural), which numbs only the lower portion of the body.

Review Date: 6/6/2006
Reviewed By: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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