Several organisations and societies relevant to obstetric analgesia and anaesthesia exist. The Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association is the body that represents obstetric anaesthesia in the UK. There are, in addition, several UK-based regional societies and groups, some involving non-anaesthetists as well as anaesthetists.
Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association (OAA)
The OAA was formed in 1969 to promote the highest standards of anaesthetic practice in the care of the mother and baby, and has an international membership in the order of 2500, ~20% of whom are based outside the UK. It provides a focus for all anaesthetists who want to improve the care and safety of women in childbirth. The OAA has charitable status, supports a research fellowship and offers annual research grants and bursaries. It also offers prizes for trainees for research presented at the annual scientific meeting.
The OAA holds three main meetings a year: in March, a one-day meeting in London on cases and clinical challenges in obstetric anaesthesia; in the spring, a two-day meeting at different venues in the UK (and more recently in continental Europe) on current research and practice; and in late autumn, a three-day course in London presenting the latest academic and clinical views on modern obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia. Further smaller refresher courses and meetings on various topics are also held.
The International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia (IJOA) is the official journal of the OAA, carries OAA notices, and is included in the annual subscription. The OAA also supplies educational videos and publications.
Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP)
Outside Britain, SOAP is the biggest and most active group for obstetric anaesthetists. It was founded in the USA in 1968 to provide a forum for discussion of problems unique to the peripartum period. SOAP comprises anaesthetists, obstetricians, paediatricians and basic scientists who share an interest in the care of the pregnant patient and the neonate; membership currently numbers approximately 900.
The mission of the society is to promote excellence in research and in the practice of obstetric anaesthesia and perinatology. Through its newsletter, website and annual meetings, SOAP allows practitioners of several specialties to meet and discuss clinical practice, basic and clinical research and practical professional concerns. SOAP has a travelling scholarship programme, allowing overseas anaesthetists from developing countries to travel to the annual meeting and to spend a week at a centre of excellence in the USA. The society awards an annual research fellowship, and a smaller research starter grant is also offered.
European societies
There are several national obstetric anaesthetic societies, for example in France (CARO: Club Anesthesie-Reanimation en Obstetrique), Ireland (ISOA: Irish Society of Obstetric Anaesthesia) and Switzerland (SAOA: Swiss Association of Obstetric Anaesthesia). There are also obstetric anaesthetic sections of other regional or national societies, including the Danish, Scandinavian and Spanish societies, and the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) has an Obstetric Anaesthesiology Subcommittee.
Other societies
In Asia, there is the Association of Obstetric Anaesthesiologists - India. In Australasia, the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) has a number of subspecialty interest groups, one of these being the Obstetric Anaesthesia Special Interest Group.
Key points
• There are several organisations, national and international, with an interest in obstetric anaesthesia.
• Some are independent, while others are subgroups of anaesthesia societies.
Further reading
Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association. www.oaa-anaes.ac.uk (accessed December 2018).
Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology. www.soap.org (accessed December 2018).