General anaesthetic while pregnant?

[Couchsweetpotato]

I am very slightly pregnant, ie almost not at all. I am due to have an extremely minor procedure under a general next month. I would imagine I'll be under for as much time as it takes to get me sedated and then immediately out again. Question is, will they still do this if I'm pregnant? I will call them on Monday but thought a MNer might well have wisdom on this before that.

I would cancel without a second thought if not for the fact that the procedure is to help with a condition that is almost certain to flare up while I'm pregnant and I'd do anything to sort it out a bit.

I would call them and explain your situation. I had a general anaesthetic last year (whilst not pg) and they had me do a pregnancy test when I got to the hospital, so chances are they will get you to do one too.

I had one. Appendicitis at 21 weeks pregnant ( a whole other story!). DD fine and dandy and delivered in water full term. However - they don't like doing it as their is v little research on the effects- and only do it when in an emergency/ life threatening. tBh they will probably cancel

I'm in a similar boat, 6 weeks pregnant and due a cystoscopy under GA. I rang the consultant's secretary and they are going to send me an appointment for after I have the baby. I think because there's always a risk they'll only do essential surgery.

I had a suspected ectopic at 5 weeks and had to have a ga to confirm - am now 31 weeks so it was completely unnecessary. I was really worried about the impact if it was fine and had lots of reassurance from the surgeon pre-op. My bro is an anaesthetist and said at the time that it would be fine (I was freaking out and he calmed me down massively)

Good luck with the op - hope it all works out ok

As an anaesthetist I would not anaesthetise someone pregnant for a procedure that can wait. So yes, appendicitis, suspected ectopic etc. no for varicose veins, lumps and bumps.

Contact them and let them know. Theoretical 2% miscarriage risk, but that's based mainly on the use of nitrous , which is little used now. The risk is probably very small, but knowing what I know I wouldn't have a GA unless essential whilst pregnant.
Hope that helps.

Can I ask you marmite, is local ok though?? I had emergency eye op and my surgeon was happy to do local for quicker recovery time to get back to dc's but hog to have another op again by local and am now 7 weeks. I have no vision in that eye do really really keen to press ahead, would local be ok as literally it is the localised site affected?? Many thanks x

Tomatoplant - I also had a suspected ectopic and a general anaesthetic at about 5 weeks. I think I had a laparoscopy with a camera inserted for the doctor to have a look. It was found that I had loads of endometriosis which was causing me the pain.

Anyway, I had no ill effects at all and went on to have a normal pregnancy, delivery and healthy baby!

Thanks frankie - that's really good to hear. The op I had was a laparoscopy too.

Thanks for the info. I'll talk to them on Monday. The 'op' is actually only an injection into my joint, which they usually do under general as it's fairly major. The joint flared up when I was pregnant before and was excruciating so I might see if they'd consider doing it under local. I'd really like something done before it gets bad again.

I had a cervical stitch put in at 16 weeks... The anaesthetist was more than happy happy to give me a general but my consultant felt there was slightly lower risk if I had a spinal block... I'd have a really good talk with the anaesthetist and an obstetrician and see what they think?!

Just to let you know what happened. They reckoned the biggest threat to the baby was the shock of the procedure rather than the anaesthetic, and that the risk was biggest in the first trimester. I said I wanted to go ahead with a local and they will do the procedure after 12 weeks, assuming all goes well.