Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP)

The Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) traces its origins to a meeting convened by Dr. James O. Elam at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport on May 25, 1968, where six physicians discussed forming an organization dedicated to obstetric anesthesia. Interest in the initiative grew through a series of informal meetings in Washington, D.C., and Miami before the first formal annual meeting was held in Kansas City in September 1969, attended by 60 charter members. At its second annual meeting in 1970, the organization formally adopted the name Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP), and in 1971 it established its articles of organization and bylaws, opening membership to anesthesiologists, obstetricians, pediatricians, and other physicians interested in perinatal care. Over subsequent decades, SOAP expanded its educational, research, and professional activities through the creation of the Sol Shnider Obstetric Anesthesia Meeting, publication of its newsletter, establishment of the Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology Endowment Fund, and recognition programs including the Zuspan Award, Distinguished Service Award, and Research in Education Award. By the 1990s, SOAP had gained representation within the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ House of Delegates, reflecting its growing influence in advancing the field of obstetric anesthesia and perinatology.