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WARNING: Be aware that the following information describes a rare complication that some readers may find disturbing. You may choose not to read this section. |
Can shoulder dystocia be predicted?
How is shoulder dystocia managed?
Health concerns for the baby
Health concerns for the woman
Emotional considerations
About shoulder dystocia
Mild to moderate shoulder dystocia
Severe shoulder dystocia
Large babies
The majority of woman will give birth to their baby without any problems. On rare occasions, there can be some difficulty involved with the birth of a baby's shoulders. This could be because the baby is large, however in most cases, it relates to the position of the baby, or the birth position of the woman. The medical term for difficulty in the baby's shoulders being born is 'shoulder dystocia'. Shoulder dystocia can range from being mild, to moderate, to severe. To understand how shoulder dystocia can eventuate, it helps to know the mechanism that is involved in how the baby's shoulders are born.
In a normal birth process, the baby's head and body are usually born individually, with 2 separate contractions. During the rest time between the contractions, the baby's shoulders usually rotate from lying horizontally (or across ways) inside the woman's pelvis, to vertically inside her pelvis, so that one shoulder lies under the woman's pubic bone, and the other lies close to the woman's coccyx bone. This vertical space in the woman's pelvis is a larger diameter (or width), allowing the baby's shoulders to be born more easily. Many women feel this rotation, and sometimes sense a 'clunk' as their baby's shoulders move into place.
With the next contraction, the caregiver places both their hands on each side of the baby's head, over the baby's ears. They then apply some gentle pressure, guiding the baby's head towards the woman's bottom.