[Placental passage of anesthetics and adjuvants].

In obstetric anaesthesia almost all anaesthetic agents are capable of traversing the fetomaternal blood barrier. They all carry potential side-effects putting the unborn or newborn child at risk. Of major relevance is their potential for embryotoxicity, teratogenicity, postpartal cardiorespiratory or neuromuscular depression and the disturbance of thermoregulation. This can possibly lead to fetal malformation, asphyxia or floppy infant syndrome. Furthermore compromisation of uterine blood flow or contractility of the mature uterus plays an important role for the incidence of intrauterine asphyxia and premature labour or birth. Considering the physiological and pathophysiological alterations during pregnancy regarding all organ systems, the overall goal is to find an ideal choice of anaesthetic drugs and techniques in order to minimise an increased anaesthetic risk during pregnancy.