Shoulder dystocia is a specific case of obstructed labour whereby after the delivery of the head, the anterior shoulder of the infant cannot pass below, or requires significant manipulation to pass below, the pubic symphysis.
It is diagnosed when the shoulders fail to deliver shortly after the fetal head. Shoulder dystocia is an obstetric emergency, and fetal demise can occur if the infant is not delivered, due to compression of the umbilical cord within the birth canal.
Forceps are a surgical instrument that resembles a pair of tongs and can be used in surgery for grabbing, maneuvering, or removing various things within or from the body. They can be used to assist the delivery of a baby as an alternative to the ventouse (vacuum extraction) method.
About video: Dawn's baby need a little help being delivered. In this video we see and understand what happens when a woman suffers a shoulder dystocia in labour and the baby needs to be delivered with forceps and manual turning.
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