There are some variations capable of occurring during the 2nd stage of the labour that can lead to interventions, usually changing the course of how your baby will be born. Some situations will require a simple intervention by your caregiver, or monitoring of the baby's heart rate more closely. Others will necessitate an assisted delivery with either
forceps or a
ventouse (also know as the vacuum method). Or in rare circumstances, a Caesarean may still need to be performed.
Some variations can include:
Umbilical cord involvement
Compound presentation
Fetal distress
Slow progress / prolonged 2nd stage
Baby born quickly
Assisted delivery
Episiotomy or tearing
Umbilical cord involvement
It is not uncommon for the umbilical cord to coil around the baby's neck or body while they are growing in the uterus. Sometimes the cord can be compressed slightly by the baby's body if the waters have been broken early, or compressed in the birth canal if it is lying next to the baby's head. On the odd occasion, the cord can end up with a loose knot in it. Most of the time these variations are discovered at the birth and do not become an issue during the labour. However, occasionally they can contribute to the baby becoming distressed, leading to interventions.
The most common variations for the cord can include:
Cord around the neck or body
Cord compression
True knot
Cord around the neck or body. About 25% of all babies will be born with the cord around their neck or body, without it causing any problems. This usually first becomes evident when the baby's head is born, and their cord can be seen (or felt) by the caregiver, but the baby's body is still inside the woman's vaginal canal. Some caregivers will check for the cord by gently sliding two of their fingers between the back of the baby's neck, and the woman's pubic bone (usually close to where her
clitoris is, making it a little uncomfortable).