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Forceps in childbirth
Forceps can be used to assist the delivery of a baby as an alternative to the ventouse method. Additional recommended knowledge
TechniqueThe cervix must be fully dilated and the bladder emptied, perhaps with the use of a catheter. Since mid-forceps and high forceps are rarely performed in this era, the station of the head must be at least +2. The woman is placed in the lithotomy position and a mild anaesthetic is administered (unless an epidural has been given). It is very important that adequate pain control is achieved. After ascertaining the precise position of the fetal head (by accurately feeling the posterior fontanelle), the two sections of the forceps are individually inserted and then locked into position around the baby's head. The fetal head is then rotated to occiput anterior position if it is not already in this position. An episiotomy is performed and then the baby is delivered. Possible indicating factors
Comparisons to other forms of assisted deliveryPositive aspects
Negative aspects
HistoryModern obstetrical forceps were invented by Peter Chamberlen around 1600 and kept a family secret for several generations. About 1730 the secret leaked out and a public design of the instrument became available. The first illustration of the forceps was published by Edward Hody in 1734. Forceps had a profound influence on obstetrics as it allowed for the speedy delivery of the baby in cases of difficult or obstructed labor. Kedarnath Das of Calcutta described over 550 varieties of the intrument in 1929[1] In the last decades, however, with the ability to perform a cesarean section relatively safely, use of forceps and training in the technique of its use has sharply declined. References
Categories: Childbirth | Obstetrics | Medical equipment |
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Forceps_in_childbirth". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia. |