Division of Obstetric Anesthesia

Work with a labor and delivery team to make the childbirth experience safe and comfortable for expectant mothers. Take part in the thousands of deliveries every year at UNM Hospital with a rotation in obstetric anesthesiology.

As an anesthesiology resident, a rotation in obstetric anesthesiology will prepare you for a wide range of birth experiences and pain relief options. Residents become proficient in various anesthetic techniques, including:

• Epidural
• Spinal
• Combined spinal-epidural analgesia and anesthesia

Handle a Wide Mix of Clinical OB Cases

You’ll be trained to evaluate and care for patients with high risk pregnancies, emergency situations or multiple medical conditions that may affect delivery. In collaboration with the high-risk maternity team, we take care of the patients with the most complex  obstetric conditions in the state.

As a resident, you’ll work with state-of-the-art equipment on the Labor and Delivery ward of the hospital. A dedicated team including an experienced obstetric anesthesiologist and a well-trained resident is present on ward at all times.

Outside of labor and delivery, our team also cares for patients undergoing other routine and emergency obstetric procedures.

Fourth-Year Rotation

The UNM Department of Anesthesiology provides a fourth-year rotation with a broad range of exposure to the field of obstetric anesthesiology. You’ll gain a basic understanding of neuraxial labor analgesia techniques and the perioperative management of obstetric patients with emphasis on cesarean section delivery.

Residency Tracks

Residents experience mandatory obstetric anesthesiology rotations in their CA1 and CA2 years, caring for women who travel to UNM Hospital from all over the state and region. You’ll also have the option of an advanced, three-month, subspecialty track in obstetric anesthesia.

The educational program is offered by our faculty in the form of one-on-one clinical teaching and didactic lectures.