Morbidity and mortality from obstetric anaesthesia in the 1990s.

As anaesthetic-related maternal mortality reduces in the developed world, alternative indicators of obstetric anaesthetic quality are required. Serious morbidity is difficult to define and quantify, but can be reduced by the provision of effective critical care. Regional anaesthesia, although safer than general anaesthesia, is not without risks. Evidence-based strategies exist to reduce the risks.