Neurological disease
This chapter predominantly focuses on the provision of obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia for the parturient with neurological disease. Diseases of the central nervous system are an important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Maternal deaths may occur from such conditions as subarachnoid haemorrhage, intracerebral haemorrhage, thrombosis, and epilepsy. Neurological disease may impact on maternal well-being during pregnancy and pregnancy has the potential to exacerbate many neurological diseases. Many neurological conditions also have important implications for the safe conduct of neuraxial anaesthesia and analgesia, such as spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Management of these conditions may require care to be coordinated by a multidisciplinary team including the obstetrician, neurologist, neurosurgeon, and anaesthetist.