**Abstract**

Although the use of general anesthesia in the obstetric population has decreased substantially, it remains the most appropriate choice in certain cases. While the use of general anesthesia is essential, maternal deaths associated with general anesthesia continue. Difficult airway remains the leading cause. Maternal mortality due to airway difficulty during general anesthesia is approximately four times higher than in general population. The incidence of failed tracheal intubation in obstetrics has remained unchanged over the past 40 years. The significant anatomic and physiologic changes of pregnancy, which are exacerbated during labor, explain the increased difficulty in airway management in obstetric patients. The presence of anesthesia staff with adequate knowledge of maternal airway management is vital to minimize the incidence of failed intubation in the parturient.

**Keywords:** obstetric anesthesia, difficult airway, airway management, failed intubation, general anesthesia
