Attempting forceps
Emotional considerations
In past generations, when Caesareans were done less often (because the risks involved were considered too great), forceps were the main option to deliver a baby in a difficult birth situation, (after the woman's cervix was fully dilated, or in the 2nd stage of labour). These days, while forceps are still an option (if their use appears to be straightforward), the tendency is to perform a Caesarean operation for the more difficult births.
It is now universally accepted that attempting to deliver a baby with 'high forceps', when the baby's head is not
engaged (or sitting high up in the lower section of the woman's uterus), is possibly too risky, increasing the chances of injury for the woman and / or the baby.
The use of 'mid forceps' (when the baby's head is
engaged but is sitting higher than station +2 - or 2 centimetres - below the ischial spines of the pelvis), is still performed, but can be a grey area, when the caregiver is making decisions about whether they should attempt to deliver the baby vaginally, or just perform a Caesarean. This is explained in more detail in
types of forceps.
Because this can be difficult to judge (unless the forceps are at least attempted), caregivers now tend to do what is called a 'Trial of forceps' (or TOF) in the operating theatre.