Understanding infection in the birth setting An infection occurs when microorganisms invade body tissues and trigger illness. The organisms may be bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. In maternity care, infections can involve the uterus and membranes, urinary tract, surgical wound,…

What shoulder dystocia means Shoulder dystocia is a delivery complication in which the fetal head is born but the shoulders do not deliver with the next expected maternal effort and routine, gentle downward traction. Most commonly, the anterior shoulder becomes…

Understanding bleeding around birth Bleeding in the birth setting is clinically meaningful because maternal blood volume, uterine blood flow, placental separation, coagulation, and tissue injury all intersect within a short period. A small amount of blood-stained mucus during cervical change,…

What shoulder dystocia means in clinical practice Shoulder dystocia is diagnosed at birth, not by ultrasound or examination before labor. The classic situation is that the fetal head delivers, then retracts slightly against the perineum, sometimes called the turtle sign.…

What uterine rupture means Uterine rupture occurs when there is a full-thickness tear through the uterine wall, often involving the myometrium and sometimes the serosa, the outer covering of the uterus. When the tear opens into the abdominal cavity, the…

What breech position means at the start of labor A breech presentation is present when the fetal pelvis, buttocks, legs, or feet are closest to the cervix rather than the head. The main subtypes are frank breech, complete breech, and…

What cord prolapse means Umbilical cord prolapse occurs when the umbilical cord descends through the cervix and lies beside or below the presenting part of the fetus. The presenting part is usually the head in a cephalic pregnancy, but it…

What clinicians mean by fetal distress Fetal distress is not a single diagnosis with one test result. It is a clinical concern that the fetus may be experiencing hypoxia, reduced oxygenation, or another significant stress before or during birth. In…

What fetal distress means Fetal distress is a clinical warning concept rather than a single diagnosis. It usually describes suspected fetal compromise, particularly concern that the fetus is not receiving enough oxygen or nutrients to meet current needs. More precise…

What clinicians mean by slow labor and stopped dilation Slow labor, often called labor dystocia, means that labor is progressing more slowly than expected for the clinical situation. It may involve a prolonged latent phase, slow active labor cervical dilation,…