What failure to progress means Failure to progress, often abbreviated FTP, describes labor that is not advancing as expected. It may also be called prolonged labor, labor dystocia, arrested labor, or stalled labor. The phrase is most often used when…

Why warning signs during labor matter Labor places major physiologic demands on both the birthing person and the fetus. Uterine contractions temporarily reduce blood flow through the placenta, maternal oxygen and fluid balance can shift quickly, and cervical dilation or…

What “how often” means in birth complications When clinicians discuss how often birth complications occur, they are rarely referring to one universal number. Frequency depends on the definition used, the population studied, and the care setting. A mild fever treated…

Why complications can emerge in an otherwise normal labor Labor is dynamic rather than linear. The uterus must contract effectively, the cervix must dilate and efface, the fetus must rotate and descend through the pelvis, and the placenta must continue…

What assisted delivery means Assisted delivery refers to a vaginal birth in which a trained clinician uses either forceps or a vacuum extractor to help deliver the baby during the second stage of labor. Forceps are curved instruments placed around…

What counts as a labor complication A labor complication is any clinical problem that interferes with safe progression from contractions and cervical change to birth of the baby and placenta. Some complications are primarily maternal, such as hemorrhage, fever, hypertensive…

What assisted vaginal delivery means Assisted vaginal delivery refers to birth through the vagina with the help of an instrument, most commonly a vacuum device or obstetric forceps. It is not the same as induction, augmentation, or cesarean birth. The…

What the epidural catheter does During labor, an epidural catheter is a very thin, flexible tube placed through a needle into the epidural space, which lies outside the dura surrounding the spinal cord and nerve roots. The needle is removed…

What a urinary catheter does in birth care A urinary catheter drains urine from the bladder through a soft tube. In maternity care, the aim is usually short-term bladder management rather than long-term catheterization. The bladder sits close to the…

What IV fluids are and how they work IV fluids are sterile solutions infused directly into a vein through a cannula. Because they enter the intravascular space immediately, they can restore circulating volume faster than oral fluids. In birth care,…