Delivery presentation describes the way the fetus is positioned to come down the birth canal for delivery. The presentation is defined by fetal attitude, the presenting part, and maternal and fetal landmarks.
The delivery process is described in terms of fetal station, lie, attitude, and presentation.
Fetal station:
This is the relationship between the presenting part, whether that be the head, shoulder, buttocks, or feet, and two parts of the maternal pelvis called the ischial spines. Normally the ischial spines are the narrowest part of the pelvis, and are a natural measuring point for the delivery progress. If the presenting part lies above the ischial spines, the station is reported as a negative number from 0 to -3 where each number is a centimeter. If the presenting part lies below the ischial spines, the station is reported as a positive number from 0 to 3 where each number is a centimeter. The baby is said to be "engaged" in the pelvis when it reaches 0 station.
Fetal lie:
This is the relationship between the head to tailbone axis of the fetus and the head to tailbone axis of the mother. If the two are parallel, then the fetus is said to be in a longitudinal lie. If the two are at 90-degree angles to each other, the fetus is said to be in a transverse lie. Nearly all (99.5%) fetuses are in a longitudinal lie.
Fetal attitude:
The fetal attitude describes the relationship of the fetus' body parts to one another. The normal fetal attitude is commonly referred to as the fetal position: the head is tucked down to the chest, with arms and legs drawn in towards the center of the chest. Abnormal fetal attitudes may include a head that is extended back or other body parts extended or positioned behind the back.
C-section (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A C-section, also called a cesarean section, is the delivery of a baby through a surgical opening in the lower belly area.Abdominal delivery; Abdominal birth; Cesarean section.A C-section delivery is performed when a vaginal birth is not possible ...Reviewer: Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine; Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 05/02/2008
Premature infant(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A premature infant is a baby born before 37 weeks gestation.At birth, a baby is classified as one of the following:.Premature(less than 37 weeks gestation) Full term(37 to 42 weeks gestation) Post term(born after 42 weeks gestation).If a woman goe...Reviewer: Deirdre O?Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children?s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/11/2007
Intrauterine growth restriction (10 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Intrauterine growth restriction refers to the poor growth of a baby while in the womb. Specifically, it refers to a fetus whose weight is below the 10th percentile for its gestational age.Many different things can lead to intrauterine growth restr...Reviewer: Linda Vorvick, MD, Family Physician, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 02/19/2009
Gestational age(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Gestation is the period of time between conception and birth during which the fetus grows and develops inside the mother''s womb.Gestational age is the time measured from the first day of the woman''s last menstrual cycle to the current date. It is ...Reviewer: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Deirdre O?Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children?s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (10/19/2007).Date: 12/12/2008
Small for gestational age (SGA)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Small for gestational age(SGA) means a fetus or infant is smaller in size than normal for the baby''s gender and gestational age.Intrauterine growth restriction(IUGR); Low birth weight.Ultrasound is used to find out if a fetus is smaller-than-norma...Reviewer: Melanie N. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 08/17/2007
Birth-acquired herpes (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Birth-acquired herpes is a herpes virus infection that an infant gets(acquires) at the time of birth.Newborn infants can become infected with herpes virus:.In the uterus( intrauterine herpes-- this is very rare) Passing through the birth canal(bir...Reviewer: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP. Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 10/15/2008
Birthmarks - red (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Red birthmarks are colored, blood vessel(vascular) skin markings that develop before or shortly after birth.Strawberry mark; Vascular skin changes; Angioma cavernosum; Capillary hemangioma; Hemangioma simplex.Red birthmarks are made up of blood ve...Reviewer: Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 10/03/2008
Facial nerve palsy due to birth trauma(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Facial nerve palsy due to birth trauma is the loss of controllable(voluntary) muscle movement in an infant''s face due to pressure on the facial nerves just before or at the time of delivery.The infant''s facial nerve(also called the seventh cranial...Reviewer: Daniel Kantor, MD, Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 02/06/2008
Print
