Faut-il faire des tests de grossesse en préopératoire ?

Anaesthetic procedures performed in undiagnosed pregnant women range between 0.15 and 2.2% of all procedures performed in potentially breeding women. There is a risk of maternal and/or foetal complication in any anaesthetic procedure performed in a pregnant woman. Diagnosis of pregnancy before anaesthesia is worth performing in women at risk. The risk of premature delivery or abortion is indeed increase after anaesthesia although foetal teratogenicity of anaesthetic agents is not documented. Several anaesthetic societies including the French society of anaesthesia and intensive care recommend a systematic performance of pregnancy testing in women susceptible to be pregnant before anaesthesia. The diagnosis is based first on questioning about the opportunity of pregnancy and then after on plasma βHCG measurement (100% sensitivity and specificity) after obtaining informed consent. In pregnant women, surgery must be cancelled whenever possible.