General Anaesthetic - Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

We ask everybody to read the information regarding a general anaesthetic (GA). This is because the most common reason for this type of anaesthetic is when there is no time for other options. In an emergency, there may not be much time to explain what is happening and it is helpful if you have already read about it.

A general anaesthetic will only be offered to you if:

a spinal anaesthetic has not worked effectively for you.
a spinal anaesthetic is not safe for you
there is an emergency situation and we need to act quickly so that your baby is born safely. There is no time to consider any other pain relief options

GA is used to put you ‘to sleep’ and you remain this way until the procedure is over and you are ‘woken up’ again. Birthing partners cannot stay in the theatre if you need a GA. They will be asked to wait in our Recovery area.

GA is given to around:

1 in 100 people having a planned caesarean section
10 in 100 people who need an emergency caesarean section

GA is given through a drip in your hand and works very quickly, usually in a few seconds.

An anaesthetist will check your mouth and neck, looking for loose, capped or crowned front teeth and to plan breathing assistance during the procedure. Before you go ‘to sleep’, you will be given a medicine to drink to settle your stomach. You will then be asked to breathe through a face mask. This is extremely important for the safety of you and your baby. It allows us to exchange the air in your lungs for oxygen. It should only take one or two minutes to do this.

You will then be given the medication through the drip in your hand. An anaesthetic assistant will start to press on the front of your neck as you go to sleep to prevent vomit going down the wrong way.

You will be woken up shortly after the procedure. You may be aware of a tube in your mouth, which is taken out as soon as you are awake. When you wake, you may not be able to remember much for a short time.

Whilst this can be a distressing thought, please be reassured that if you require a GA, our team will support you throughout the entire process.

What other things should I consider?

A sore throat following a GA is common, as well as a dry mouth.

There is a risk we may damage a tooth.

You will feel drowsy for a while after the procedure.

It is common to feel sick after a GA.

The anaesthetist may give you pain killing injections into your abdomen while you are asleep. You may have a button to press for extra pain relief.

Your blood pressure can increase at the start of the procedure. We may need to help this with medications that will be given to you while you are asleep.

A tube will be placed into your bladder from your vagina (a catheter) to drain away any urine. This is because you will be unable to feel if you need to go to the toilet. Your catheter will normally stay in overnight and be removed the following day. Your midwife will let you know when it can be removed.

2 or 3 in 1000 people are not as asleep (unconscious) as intended during the procedure and can wake up with a memory of dreaming or talking during the anaesthetic.

4 in 1000 people can experience breathing problems at the start of the procedure. Our medical staff can usually deal with these problems as they occur. Sometimes this is not always possible and you may need to be woken up again, although this is extremely rare.

Very rarely, serious complications can occur, and can lead to serious brain damage or death.

Are there any risks to my baby?

GA can affect your baby and cause them to be drowsy and sleepy for a few minutes at birth. If you require a GA, the midwife will ask for one of the specialist baby doctors (paediatrician) to be present at the birth. This is in the event that your baby needs any breathing support. This is normal for every birth that requires a GA.