Anatomy of Bony Pelvis

Question 1

Where are the ischial spines palpable on vaginal examination?

Answer 1

at about a finger breadth into the vagina (approx. 4 and 8 o clock positions)

Question 2

Which ligament connects the sacrum and ischial spine?

Answer 2

sacrospinous, anterior

Question 3

Which ligament connects sacrum and ischial tuberosity, and where?

Answer 3

sacrotuberous, posterior

Question 4

What muscle is also known as the pelvic floor?

Answer 4

levator ani

Question 5

What does the bony pelvis allow transference of weight from?

Answer 5

one long pole (the vertebral column) to two poles (the femurs), allows standing and walking

Question 6

What do bony pelvis fractures tend to be like?

Answer 6

multiple or combined with joint dislocation

Question 7

What is the term for movement of one bone over another to allow the foetal head to pass through the pelvis during labour, and what allows for this?

Answer 7

moulding

sutures and fontanelles

Question 8

What is longer, the occipitofrontal diameter or the biparietal diameter?

Answer 8

occipitofrontal (baby’s head is longer than it is wide)

Question 9

How should the foetus ideally enter the pelvic cavity?

Answer 9

facing either to the right of left (transverse)

Question 10

What is term used to describe the distance of the foetal head from the ischial spines?

Answer 10

station

Question 11

What does a negative station number mean?

Answer 11

the head is superior to the spines (and a positive number means the head is inferior to the spines)

Question 12

What occurs once the baby’s head has delivered?

Answer 12

further rotation to allow shoulders and rest of baby to be delivered

Question 13

While descending through the pelvic cavity, what position should the foetal head be in?

Answer 13

in flexed position

Question 14

At pelvic outlet, what is wides, the AP or transverse diameter?

Answer 14

AP