What Is Shoulder Dystocia?
Shoulder dystocia is a delivery in which additional maneuvers are needed to free the fetal shoulder from obstruction. To alleviate shoulder dystocia the medical staff should initiate a series of maneuvers. These maneuvers should result in the release of the shoulder and aid delivery of the baby. Sometimes damage is done to the network of nerves running from the spinal cord to the arm.
Dystocia is an abnormal or difficult childbirth or labor. Shoulder dystocia is a specific case of whereby the anterior(front) shoulder of the child is unable to pass below the pubic symphysis, the joint between the pubic bones at the front of the pelvis. This condition also occurs when the child requires significant manipulation to pass below this area. The single most common risk factor for shoulder dystocia is the use of a vacuum extractor or forceps during delivery. Shoulder dystocia occurs in approximately one half of one percent of all deliveries. Given that there are 4 million babies born each year in the United States, this delivery complication will be experienced by roughly 20,000 women a year. The larger the baby, the more likely it is to occur. However, even with very large babies shoulder dystocia occurs only occasionally and sporadically. It is diagnosed initially when the shoulders fail to deliver shortly after the fetal head. At an otherwise normal delivery, just after t
