Anatomy - Bony Pelvis + Labour

Question 1

What are the 2 attachment sites for the inguinal ligament?

Answer 1

ASIS and Pubic tuberosity

Question 2

What bony feature is palpable internally using vaginal examination?

Answer 2

Ischial spines

finger in lateral fornix - 4 and 8 o’clock

Question 3

Go to notes and annotate the pelvic x-ray

Question 4

What are the two pelvic ligaments that are important to know?

What foramen do these form?

What happens to them during pregnancy?

Answer 4

Sacrospinous - sacrum and ischial spine
Sacrotuberous - sacrum and ischial tuberosity

Greater and lesser sciatic Foramen

Relax

Question 5

Do males or females have a bigger pelvic brim?

Answer 5

females - more space for child birth

Question 6

Describe how and why the baby’s head moves during childbirth

Answer 6

A babies head is wider between parietal bones than between frontal and occipital bones

The pelvis is initially wider from anterior to posterior so baby’s head is lying transversely

As it reaches the pelvic outlet this is now wider laterally than AP so baby’s head twists into an occipitoanterior position (where TOP of head is near clit - clit is near TOP of vuvla)

Question 7

What is a fontalle?

Answer 7

Soft part of the baby’s skull which eventually ossifies

Question 8

Where would you find the vertex of the baby’s skull?

Answer 8

Between anterior and posterior fontanelles and parietal eminences