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General Anesthesia

October 1, 2025

Selected References:   

  • Allaert SE, et al. 2007. First trimester anesthesia exposure and fetal outcome. A review. Acta Anaesthesiol Belg, 58(2):119-123.  
  • Allweiler SI, Kogan LR. 2013. Inhalation anesthetics and the reproductive risk associated with occupational exposure among women working in veterinary anesthesia. Vet Anaesth Analg, 40(3):285-289. 
  • Anderson PO. 2021. General anesthesia while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding Medicine, 16(4):275-277.  
  • Andropoulos DB, Greene MF. 2017. Anesthesia and developing brains – Implications of the FDA Warning. N Engl J Med, 376(10):905-907.  
  • Beatriz L, et al. 2015. Anesthesia for non-obstetrical surgery during pregnancy. Gen Med Open Access; 3:1–4.  
  • Bleeser T, et al. 2022. Neurodevelopmental outcomes after prenatal exposure to anaesthesia for maternal surgery: a propensity-score weighted bidirectional cohort study. Anaesthesia, 78:159–169. 
  • Brodsky JB, et al. 1980. Surgery during pregnancy and fetal outcome. Am J Ob Gyn, 138(8):1165-1167. 
  • Choi HN, et al. 2021. Evaluation of safety and foeto-maternal outcome following non-obstetric surgery in pregnancy: a retrospective single-site Australian study. ANZ J Surg, 91:627-632.  
  • Cusimano MC, et al. 2023. Adverse fetal outcomes and maternal mortality following nonobstetric abdominopelvic surgery in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Surg, 278:e147–e157. 
  • Czeizel AE, et al. 1998. Reproductive outcome after exposure to surgery under anesthesia during pregnancy. Arch Gynecol Obstet, 261(4):193-199. 
  • Dalal PG, et al. 2014. Safety of the breast-feeding infant after maternal anesthesia. Paediatr Anaesth, (4):359-371.  
  • Duncan PG, et al. 1986. Fetal risk of anesthesia and surgery during pregnancy. Anesthesiology, 64:790-794.  
  • Fisher SC, et al. 2020. Maternal surgery and anesthesia during pregnancy and risk of birth defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011. Birth Defects Res, 112(2):162-174.  
  • Gwanzura C, et al. 2023. Effect of anesthesia administration method on apgar scores of infants born to women undergoing elective cesarean section. BMC Anesthesiol. 23(1):142. 
  • Haataja, A, et al. 2023. Non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy and the effects on maternal and fetal outcomes: A systematic review. Scandinavian journal of surgery : SJS : official organ for the Finnish Surgical Society and the Scandinavian Surgical Society, 112(3), 187–205. 
  • Ing C, et al. 2021. Prenatal exposure to general anesthesia and childhood behavioral deficit. Anesth Analg. 133(3):595-605. 
  • Jankowsky J, et al. 2023. Best Practices for the Care of Breastfeeding Patients Requiring Local or General Anesthesia. Nurs Womens Health. 27(3):231-236. 
  • Knill-Jones RP, et al. 1975. Anaesthetic practice and pregnancy. Lancet, 2:807–809. 
  • Mazze RI, Källén B. 1989. Reproductive outcome after anesthesia and operation during pregnancy: a registry study of 5405 cases. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 161(5):1178-1185. 
  • Olutoye OA, et al. 2018. Food and Drug Administration warning on anesthesia and brain development: implications for obstetric and fetal surgery. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 218(1):98-102. 
  • Robbins LS, et al. 2021. General anesthesia for cesarean delivery and childhood neurodevelopment and perinatal outcomes: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Int J Obstet Anesth. 45:44-40. 
  • Sanders RD, et al. 2013. Impact of anaesthetics and surgery on neurodevelopment: an update. Br J Anaesth, 110 Suppl 1:i53-72.  
  • Smith BE. 1963. Fetal prognosis after anesthesia during gestation. Anesth Analg, 42;521-526. 
  • Shnider SM, Webster, GM. 1965. Maternal and fetal hazards of surgery during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 92;891-900. 
  • Sylvester GC, et al. 1994. First-trimester anesthesia exposure and the risk of central nervous system defects: a population-based case-control study. Am J Public Health, 84(11)1757-1760. 
  • Tolcher MC, et al. 2018. Nonobstetric surgery during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 132:395–403.  
  • Upadya M, Saneesh P. 2016. Anaesthesia for non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy. Indian J Anaesth 60:234.   
  • US FDA. FDA Drug Safety Communication. 4/27/17. FDA review results in new warnings about using general anesthetics and sedation drugs in young children and pregnant women. Update. FDA approves label changes for use of general anesthetic and sedation drugs in young women. https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm532356.htm  
  • Yu CH, et al. 2018. Pregnancy outcomes following nonobstetric surgery during gestation: a nationwide population-based case-control study in Taiwan. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 26;18(1):460. 
  • Zeleke ME, et al. 2024. Perioperative management of surgical procedure during pregnancy: a systematic review. Ann Med Surg (Lond), 86(6):3432–3441. 

 

 

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