Anaesthetists' perspective on oral intake for women in labour

Vast improvements in drugs and techniques for obstetric general anaesthesia over the last 50 years have seen the incidence of anaesthesia-related aspiration all but eradicated. However, oral intake restrictions for labouring women, instituted following Mendelson's (1946) study, continue despite these improvements. A survey of 30 obstetric anaesthetists explored their aspiration prevention strategies for caesarean section and recommendations for the oral intake of labouring women with an epidural in situ. The findings showed that a majority of these anaesthetists continued to request the fasting of all labouring women in case general anaesthesia was required and there was little consensus regarding gastric content preparation or for the oral intake of epiduralised labouring women. There is no research to support the use of oral intake restrictions in preventing aspiration. There is also no consistency among anaesthetists or supporting research for any dietary regime prescribed for labouring women with an epidural.