 Dear SOAP Members:
I am really looking forward to this year! The SOAP committees are working on their Action Plans and I am energized by the projects outlined on those plans that have been completed. You can look forward to more resources and education designed for immediate implementation in your practices – all with an eye to grow our membership and awareness of obstetric anesthesia. SOAP is working for YOU!
Board of Director STATS JAMA Issues an Erratum at SOAP Request
Members of the Intersociety Committee, SOAP Board and ASA committee on OB reached out to the authors of the JAMA Patient-directed article "Pain Management During Vaginal Childbirth" (JAMA. 2021;326(5):450. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.10702) regarding concern on only mentioning fentanyl when referring to neuraxial analgesia drugs. JAMA has printed an erratum correcting this oversight and has also corrected the Patient Page on their website. ASA HOD report SOAP submitted a report to the ASA House of Delegates outlining our annual projects, initiatives and changes in governance structure. The ASA House of Delegates will convene on October 10 during their annual meeting in San Diego. Joint Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination SOAP, ASA and nine other specialty societies joined to issue a joint statement strongly encouraging all health care personnel to get vaccinated against COVID-19. SOAP at ASA Annual Meeting If you are attending ASA this October, SOAP will hold a “Meet Up” in the exhibit hall Connection Lounge #2 on Saturday, October 9, from 4:00-5:00pm (Pacific). Stop by and "Meet Up" with your fellow SOAP members. Nitrous Oxide The ASA Committee on Anesthesia issued a statement on the use of nitrous oxide interactions with systemic opioids. The ACOG also issued a practice advisory in July 2021. For full information, visit the links above for the statement and practice advisory. In summary… “based on this concern for potential maternal adverse consequences, co-administration of systemic opioids or sedatives/hypnotics and inhaled nitrous oxide for labor analgesia is not recommended.” Committee STATS Education New patient and physician education materials have been created regarding “Information About Labor Epidurals: Your Questions Answered.” There is a brochure and a one-page flyer with QR code (linked to the brochure online) that is suitable to share with your patients. More infographic materials are being developed on a variety of topics, so stay tuned! Intersociety
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have launched on the SOAP Member Community platform! We have four SIGs at this time: Fetal Surgery, Maternal Health Inequities, POCUS and Simulation. SIGs are open to all SOAP members to join – just log onto the SOAP Community (same log-on as the SOAP website) and hit the “JOIN” button on the SIG's banner. Upcoming SOAP Events Register for the SOAP Webinar “Addressing Maternal Health Inequities” on September 22, 8:00-9:00pm Eastern. This interactive webinar which will serve as a forum for highlighting the disparities in maternal outcomes based on race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status, and other social determinants of health. Our panel of experts will propose solutions and discuss evidence-based recommendations for how issues may be addressed at the health system, provider, and patient levels. Other SOAP STATS Save the date and start preparing your abstracts now! Abstract submission for the IARS, AUA & SOCCA 2022 Annual Meetings opened on August 13, 2021. All abstracts must be submitted online. The abstract submission system allows you to submit your research to all three outstanding meetings. Please review the complete submission guidelines when preparing your abstract.
  Sincerely, Ted Ted Yaghmour, MD 2021-22 SOAP President |