Definition: General anesthesia is a great source of pain relief for emergency cesarean sections and some types of forceps and other assisted deliveries. This is where a medication is delivered either via a gas mask or through the IV that renders a mother-to-be unconscious. This allows her to experience no pain.
The down side to general anesthesia is the additional risks of anesthesia to the mother such as lost time, breathing difficulties, etc. The baby is also more effected by general anesthesia and most practitioners want the baby out within minutes of the mother going to "sleep" via medication due mostly to breathing difficulties in the baby.
Fewer than 1% of all births are done with general anesthesia. Alternatives to general anesthesia would be epidural anesthesia or spinal anesthesia.
Also Known As: Going to sleep.
Alternate Spellings: GA
