A–Z Glossary

Cephalopelvic disproportion

A condition in which the baby’s size, position, or angle does not fit well through the pregnant person’s pelvis.

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Search results for: Cephalopelvic disproportion

What can slow down first and active labor

What can slow down first and active labor

Early labor can be irregular by design First labor, often called early or latent labor, is the phase when contractions begin preparing the cervix for birth but may not yet produce rapid dilation. The cervix is not simply opening; it is also softening, moving forward, and thinning. This cervical dilation and effacement can take many […]

Baby not descending and stalled pushing

Baby not descending and stalled pushing

What stalled pushing means The second stage of labor begins when the cervix is fully dilated and ends with birth. During this stage, the baby usually descends through the pelvis while also rotating and flexing the head. Descent is not always smooth or linear. Some labors have a long early second stage with passive descent, […]

When assisted delivery is needed during pushing

When assisted delivery is needed during pushing

What assisted delivery means during pushing Assisted delivery, also called operative vaginal delivery or assisted vaginal birth, refers to using instruments such as vacuum or forceps to help complete a vaginal birth during the second stage of labor. This is the phase after full cervical dilation, when the person is actively pushing and the baby […]

Labor stops or does not progress explained

Labor stops or does not progress explained

What it means when labor does not progress Labor progression includes more than the cervix opening. During the first stage, the cervix effaces, or thins, and dilates while the fetal head usually descends and rotates. During the second stage, the cervix is fully dilated and the fetus moves through the pelvis with pushing and continued […]

When assisted delivery leads to C-section

When assisted delivery leads to C-section

Assisted delivery is usually an attempt to prevent C-section Assisted vaginal delivery, also called operative vaginal birth, refers to using forceps or a vacuum device to help guide the baby through the birth canal during the second stage of labor. It is not usually a step toward surgery; in many situations it is offered specifically […]

How vacuum extraction is performed and when it is needed

How vacuum extraction is performed and when it is needed

What vacuum extraction is Vacuum extraction is an operative vaginal birth technique in which a clinician places a suction cup on the fetal scalp and applies controlled traction during contractions while the birthing person pushes. The device does not pull the baby out independently; it augments the expulsive forces already present in the second stage […]

Benefits of planned C-section and when it is safer

Benefits of planned C-section and when it is safer

What a planned C-section means A planned C-section, or planned cesarean section, is a surgical birth scheduled before labor starts or before urgent circumstances develop. The baby is delivered through incisions in the abdomen and uterus, usually with regional anesthesia such as a spinal or epidural, so the birthing person is awake but numb from […]

Common reasons and how doctors decide on cesarean

Common reasons and how doctors decide on cesarean

What a cesarean decision is trying to prevent A is a surgical birth through incisions in the abdomen and uterus. The goal is not simply to choose a more controlled delivery route; it is to reduce the likelihood of serious harm when vaginal birth is judged to be unsafe, impossible, or less safe than surgery. […]

C-section explained and why it is performed

C-section explained and why it is performed

What a C-section is A C-section is an operative method of birth. The clinician makes an incision through the abdominal wall and then through the uterus, allowing the baby and placenta to be delivered without passing through the vagina. Most procedures use regional anesthesia, such as spinal or epidural anesthesia, so the pregnant person is […]