Characteristics of vaginal delivery systems

Advantages of vaginal delivery.

Despite an impressive amount of effort and extensive research, our knowledge of parturition remains limited. Scientists have exhaustively investigated ‘‘the timing of birth’’; yet, we still have a limited understanding of the biologic mechanisms that control the events initiating delivery, and consequently, we lack tools to prevent these mechanisms from acting inappropriately. A multitude of fa...

Vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery.

The second stage of labor is a dynamic event that may require assistance when maternal efforts fail to effect delivery or when there are nonreassuring fetal heart tones. Therefore, knowing how to perform an operative vaginal delivery with forceps or vacuum is vital for family physicians who provide maternity care. Vacuum is rapidly replacing forceps as the predominant instrument, but each has a...

Operative Vaginal Delivery

Operative vaginal delivery is used to achieve or expedite safe vaginal delivery for maternal or fetal indications. Examples include maternal exhaustion and an inability to push effectively; medical indications such as maternal cardiac disease and a need to avoid pushing in the second stage of labor; prolonged second stage of labor, arrest of descent, or rotation of the fetal head; and nonreassu...

The occasional vaginal delivery.

Spontaneous vaginal delivery.

Vaginal delivery is a natural process that usually does not require significant medical intervention. Management guided by current knowledge of the relevant screening tests and normal labor process can greatly increase the probability of an uncomplicated delivery and postpartum course. All women should be screened for group B streptococcus; women who test positive should be treated with antibio...