In recent times the role of anaesthesia has become increasingly diversified. Now encompasses areas such as pain therapy, intensive care medicine as well as general anaesthetic practice. For long time we had the feeling that the trainee anaesthetist, needs basic, practical, guidelines for subspecialties of this branch of medicine.

This book provides information of, not only, the management of obstetric anaesthesia but also covers resuscitation of newborn, and paediatric anaesthesia.

These guidelines have been prepared after reviewing the guidelines operative in good obstetric and pediatric unit in United Kingdom. It should be supplemented by the reading of a specialist text on the subject. Midwives and trainee obstetricians may also find the specific sections of this book to be of interest, since it may provide them with information about obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia that they may not find in their usual reading. We would accept, that this edition, is far from perfect with many sections requiring expansion.

Prof. M H Mumtaz
Dr. Khadija Zia
Dr. Kaneez Batool
February, 2003