Forceps and vacuums may sound scary, but these tools can be lifesavers when labor doesn’t progress as expected. An obstetrician in Airoli who has experience using forceps to help ease vaginal delivery can use them to guide the baby out of the birth canal. Understanding how forceps work and in what circumstances they can help can make labor easier and less intimidating for mothers is crucial. Here’s all you must know about when forceps are used.
Maternal Indications
Forceps are generally recommended when a mother wants a vaginal delivery, but has been stuck in the second stage of labor. Here’s when it’s used at the maternity center in Airoli.
i) Prolonged Second Stage of Labor
If the labor stops in the second stage and the mother’s pushing isn’t working, the gynecologist may consider using forceps.
If the mother has been pushing for 2-3 hours, but the baby isn’t coming down, forceps can speed up the delivery by guiding them outside the birth canal.
ii) Exhaustion
The pushing phase can be hard, particularly in mothers who have spent hours trying to get the baby out, but no amount of pushing is helping. If the mother doesn’t have the energy to push anymore, the doctor may offer a little extra help with forceps.
iii) Medical History
For women with a history of cardiac issues and other medical conditions that can make pushing risky, the doctor may want to limit the amount of time you push. In these cases, assisted vaginal delivery with a vacuum or a forcep might be used.
Fetal Indications
Sometimes, the prolonged second stage of labor can affect the fetal heart rate and other vitals, making forcep delivery a safer option.
i) Fetal Distress
A strong indication of a forcep delivery is a dropping fetal heart rate. During labor, your baby’s heart rate is monitored closely to ensure they don’t go into distress.
If their heart rate drops, the doctor might not wait for spontaneous labor and delivery. They’ll turn to assisted vaginal delivery to get the baby out faster.
ii) Baby’s Position
Most babies get into the face-down position when the delivery date approaches. A few, however, might stay in the same position and require manual rotation or forceps. If the baby doesn’t rotate on their own, assisted vaginal delivery tools, like forceps, might be needed to bring them into a proper position.
What are the Risks of Forcep Delivery
While a forcep can prevent the need for a C-section delivery, it’s not always a suitable choice for childbirth. Here’s when a forcep can’t be used:
- You have not achieved full dilation yet
- You have a premature baby
- Your baby is too big to pass through the birth canal, or you have a pelvis that’s too narrow to fit a baby.
- The amniotic sac has not ruptured yet.
The risks include minor vaginal tears in the mother and marks on the baby’s face, which should fade shortly after birth. Fortunately, these risks are minimized when assisted vaginal delivery is performed by an expert obstetrician who has experience using forceps. If forceps aren’t suitable for your case, your last resort is a C-section delivery.
