Obstetric Anesthesiology

Many faculty members in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine are involved in the care of Labor and Delivery (L&D) patients. UCLA anesthesiologists provide obstetric anesthesia services at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (RRUMC) in Westwood Village, at the Santa Monica - UCLA Medical Center, and at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital (MLKCH). The Division of Obstetric Anesthesiology includes faculty members who specialize in obstetric anesthesiology, and devote time to teaching and research in the field in addition to patient care.

At the RRUMC, faculty members typically work with and educate UCLA anesthesiology residents. Anesthesiologists remain in the hospital around the clock to provide labor analgesia and handle emergencies. In the Westwood L&D unit (a.k.a. The BirthPlace – Westwood), there are 12 rooms for laboring patients alongside a six-bed fetal diagnostic/triage area and a 13-room maternity suite. We expect an annual volume of 2000 births/year, including a wide variety of high-risk referral patients in need of tertiary care. The majority of laboring women receive labor epidurals from our service, but UCLA offers various pain management therapies for the labor and birth experience. We support each mother’s choices for pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic pain management.

UCLA anesthesiology residents rotate to other local hospitals, including the Olive View – UCLA Medical Center and Long Beach Memorial Hospital. Long Beach Memorial has a very high case volume which provides a fast-paced, rich educational opportunity for residents honing their skills. 

UCLA faculty work without residents in the Santa Monica L&D unit (a.k.a The BirthPlace – Santa Monica) and at MLKCH. At these locations, we see lower case volumes and less socioeconomic diversity than at RRUMC. While The BirthPlace – Santa Monica is located in an affluent area, MLKCH is located in a historically-underserved area of Los Angeles with a catchment area that is roughly 70% Hispanic and 30% black.

Obstetric Anesthesiology Fellowship >

Cesarean E-Book >

Epidural E-Book >

Physicians

Directors:

• Richard Hong, MD, FASA (Division Chief)
• Catherine Cha, MD (Medical Director, Santa Monica-UCLA Obstetric Anesthesiology)
• Cristianna Vallera, MD (Medical Director, MLKCH Obstetric Anesthesiology)
• Lynn Choi, MD (Fellowship Director)

Faculty:

• Jack Buckley, MD
• Jason Hirsch, MD
• Joe Hong, MD
• Judi Turner, MD, PhD