High Risk Obstetric Anaesthetic Clinic

Lead Clinicians:

Dr Renate Wendler, Dr Karen Light & Dr Sarah Hammond

The High-Risk Obstetric Anaesthetic Clinic at St George’s Hospital provides a service to women with medical disorders and/or potential anaesthesia-related problems during late pregnancy, delivery or the post-partum period. This weekly outpatient clinic aims to:

 give advice and assess patients with previous or anticipated anaesthesia-related problems regarding analgesia and anaesthesia during labour and childbirth.

 provide anaesthetic advice for women with medical disorders, always in close co-operation with obstetricians and other medical specialists in a multidisciplinary setting at St George’s Hospital. This may also include pre-conception counselling.

 prevent complications and maternal deaths by regular medical, obstetric and anaesthetic assessments, risk stratification and the provision of robust management plans for the antenatal and delivery period.

 support St George’s Hospital’s maternity services as a regional referral centre for women with complex pregnancies.

 develop and review guidelines for referral and management for women who suffer from medical disorders in pregnancy, as well as for morbidly obese patients and women who categorically refuse the transfusion of blood products.

 provide training opportunities for senior anaesthetic and obstetric trainees with a special interest in maternal medicine and complex pregnancy.