Obstetric Anesthesia

Obstetric Anesthesia at UCSF continues to provide outstanding care to pregnant patients, deliver first-class education and training to residents and fellows, and lead research efforts aimed at advancing obstetric anesthesia practice. From routine deliveries to complex cases, our team ensures safe, patient-centered anesthesia care for all patients at the UCSF Birth Center. We are also integral to the multidisciplinary management of high-risk conditions, such as placenta accreta syndrome, for which UCSF serves as a major referral center. Our ACGME-accredited fellowship program has a highly regarded reputation, and the Labor and Delivery Units at both Mission Bay and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital have been recognized as Centers of Excellence by the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology. In addition to our clinical expertise, we are proud to be recognized for our excellence in education: our faculty consistently receive top rankings from anesthesia residents for the quality of their teaching, mentorship, and commitment to training the next generation of anesthesiologists.

In 2024, the Birth Center saw 2,473 deliveries, with monthly epidural labor analgesia rates ranging from 85-89% and an overall cesarean delivery rate of 31%. A key obstetric quality metric, the nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex (NTSV) cesarean rate, ranged between 21-25%, closely aligning with the statewide benchmark of ≤23.7%. Ongoing quality improvement efforts are in place to maintain and further reduce these rates. Looking ahead to 2025, we anticipate a rise in delivery volume (projected >2,600 deliveries), reinforcing the increasing demand for obstetric anesthesia services.

This year, UCSF welcomed Dr. Alexander Butwick as the new Chief of Obstetric Anesthesia. Dr. Butwick is an internationally recognized clinical investigator whose research focuses on optimizing anesthesia management for postpartum hemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Our faculty continue to shine, with Dr. Stephanie Lim appointed as Interim Chief of the Burlingame OR Complex, Dr. Jenny Woodbury invited as an American Board of Anesthesiology examiner, and Drs. Sherry Liou, Jenny Woodbury, and Pamela Huang receiving Excellence in Teaching Awards from the UCSF Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators. Dr. Pedram Aleshi was named Vice-Chair of Academic Affairs, and Drs. Won Lee, Jeremy Juang, John Markley, and Arthur Chyan are leading innovative research initiatives in obstetric anesthesia and reproductive health.

Obstetric Anesthesia continues to thrive, combining clinical expertise, educational excellence, and groundbreaking research to elevate patient care and shape the future of the field.

Alexander Butwick, MBBS, FRCA, MS
Chief, Obstetric Anesthesia