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If your baby is struggling to make his way down the birth canal, your doctor may use forceps to guide his head out during delivery. Back to Top In This Article
If your labor has stalled, there’s a small chance that your doctor will use forceps to gently coax your baby’s head through the birth canal, speeding up baby’s entrance to the world. What is a forceps delivery?A forceps delivery is a type of assisted delivery. During labor, doctors use a pair of forceps (which resemble large salad tongs) to guide the baby’s head through the birth canal. Your doctor may decide on a forceps delivery to speed up the labor — particularly if mother or baby are showing signs of distress or if you have been pushing for too long. When and why is a forceps delivery done?A forceps delivery is done during the second stage of labor — i.e. the pushing phase — after your baby has already descended past the midpoint of the birth canal. If baby is still struggling to make his way out, and your labor is prolonged, your doctor may decide to use the forceps to speed up the delivery. Doctors will sometimes opt for a forceps delivery in the hopes of avoiding C-section. Specifically, your doctor may decide to use forceps if:
How do doctors deliver a baby using forceps?Before a forceps delivery, your cervix needs to be fully dilated and your membranes must be ruptured. You’ll also have to empty your bladder before the procedure and be numbed with an aesthetic (unless you’ve already had an epidural). Continue Reading Below Read This NextIf necessary, you may also receive an episiotomy — an incision to the tissue between the vagina and anus — to enlarge the vaginal opening for the placement of forceps. Then, the doctor will perform the following steps:
Are there any risks to the baby or complications with a forceps delivery?Luckily, when forceps are used correctly by an experienced practitioner, the risks to the baby are low. These include:
Keep in mind that there’s no evidence that having a forceps delivery has any effect on a child’s development, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Are there any downsides or risks to the mother with a forceps delivery?While safe to perform, forceps deliveries do carry some risks to the mother. These include:
There’s also a chance that the forceps delivery won’t be successful. In that case, your doctor will recommend a C-section. How often are forceps used during delivery?According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, forceps are used in 0.5 percent of live births in the United States. If your baby is struggling to make his exit or if you’re having trouble pushing, forceps can help guide him through the birth canal and make his — much anticipated! — entrance into the world. From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
Was this article helpful? Which of the following should be assessed first by the nurse immediately after Amniotomy has been performed?After the procedure, she assesses the maternal temperature every two hours and watches out for any signs of infection. The nurse also monitors the fetal heart rate via continuous electronic fetal monitoring and communicates the findings to the provider.
Which interventions could a nurse apply to help stimulate contractions?Administration of oxytocin can initiate contractions in a uterus in pregnancy term. Oxytocin is administered intravenously so that when there is hyperstimulation, then it could be quickly discontinued.
Why is the relaxation phase between contractions important?The ability to relax will conserve energy throughout the first stage of labor. Consciously relaxing between contractions makes the breaks more restful. You will also find more strength for the second (pushing) stage of labor.
What nursing intervention during labor can increase space in the woman's pelvis quizlet?The health care provider encourages urination and may catheterize a woman in labor. These interventions prevent trauma to her bladder and make more room in her pelvis. A woman is being observed in the hospital because her membranes ruptured at 30 weeks gestation.
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