Pregnancy Child Birth

Obstetrical Interventions

Jan 22 2009

Nature does an excellent job bringing new life into the world. But, occasionally something does go wrong. Complications and problems do occur, although only in a small minority of births. Fortunately, most of these complications are treatable.

Most often, these are implemented in response to a problem. Although few, if any, interventions are without risk, most are utilized carefully, often to save the fetus or spare it damage, and, on occasion to save the mother. Sometimes, however, certain procedures such as amniotomy or rupture of the membranes will be performed even in the­absence of a complication. Some physicians and even some midwives believe in active management of labor, which means that their patients will receive medication simply to speed up the process of labor. The key to effective and safe use of obstetrical interventions is a thoughtful physician or midwife, one who exercises extreme care in clinical judgment and decision making.

The significant interventions in contemporary labor care include:

• Induction and augmentation of labor
• Active management of labor
• Amniotomy
• Amnioinfusion

Interventions for birth are:

• Episiotomy
• Assisted breech delivery
• Internal version for a second twin
• Forceps
• Vacuum extraction
• Cesarean section for birth

Interventions for the third, or placental, stage of labor may include:

• Active management of the third stage
• Cervical inspection
• Manual removal of the placenta
• Uterine exploration

If your labor and birth are planned for a birthing center or your home, transfer to a hospital might be considered an intervention.

Tags:births, interventions, labor and birth, small minority, third stage vacuum extraction