Labor/Birth Process (ch16,19 - Exam 2) Flashcards
Passenger assessments during labor
- Fetal head
- Fetal lie
- Fetal presentation
- Fetal attitude
- Fetal position
- Station
fetal head
the head of the baby (hopefully the presenting part)
relationship of the fetal spine to the maternal spine
fetal lie
part of the fetus that enters the pelvic inlet first and leads through the birth canal
fetal presentation
relationship of the fetal body parts to one another (chin flexed to chest, thighs on abdomen, legs flexed at knees = fetal position in utero)
fetal attitude
relationship of presenting part to the mother’s pelvis
fetal position
presenting part (O,S,M,Sc,A, P, T, R, L)
start with what the presenting part is (middle letter) relationship to mother’s pelvis (R,L = 1st letter), last letter is relationship of presenting part to mother’s spine
O = occiput S = sacrum M = mentum (chin) Sc = scapula A = anterior P = posterior T = transverse R = right L = left
relationship of the presenting part to the maternal ischial spines
(where is the baby [head, butt, feet, spine] in relation to the ischial spine)
station
how do you want the baby to come out
head-first, face-down
5 P’s
Passenger Passageway Powers Position of the mother Physiological responses
Passenger
fetus and placenta
Passageway
birth canal
Powers
voluntary/involuntary UC
Position of the mother
lithotomy
(bring legs back, lean forward, and push like having a BM)
flat on back will lay on vena cava and decrease perfusion to baby
Bones of Fetal Head
- not fused: united by membranous sutures
at suture intersection
fontanels
juncture of frontal and parietal bones
anterior fontanel
juncture of occipital and parietal bones
posterior fontanels
largest part of the baby that needs to be delivered
largest transverse diameter of fetal head
biparietal (BPD)
major fetal presentations
Cephalic or Vertex (head)
Breech (buttocks or feet)
Shoulder
Vertex Presentations Lie: Presentation: Reference Point: Attitude:
Lie: longitudinal or vertical
Presentation: vertex
Reference Point: occiput
Attitude: complete flexion
releases relaxin when preparing to deliver
mons pubis
relaxin
makes mons pubis soft when preparing for delivery then will go back to being hard (makes things pliable for delivery)
best position to deliver
LOA
Frank breech presentation Lie: Presentation: Reference Point: Attitude:
Lie: longitudinal
Presentation: breech (incomplete)
Reference Point: sacrum
Attitude: flexion (except for legs at knees)
cervical complication of frank breech presentation
once the head catches on the cervix, the doctor has to put his fingers into the vaginal canal to separate them so that the cervix doesn’t rip
(cervix = vascular = tear can cause mom to bleed out)
complete breech Lie: Presentation: Reference Point: Attitude:
Lie: longitudinal or vertical
Presentation: breech (sacrum and feet presenting)
Reference Point: sacrum (with feet)
Attitude: general fllexion
disadvantages of breech presentation
- Not effective at dilating cervix
- Head is the last part to be born
- Umbilical cord can become compressed
shoulder presentation requires c-section
fetal lie: spines are parallel as in cephalic or breech
longitudinal or vertical
fetal lie: baby spine at right angle to mom (as in shoulder presentation)
transverse
vaginal birth cannot occur
transverse lie Lie: Presentation: Reference Point: Attitude:
Lie: transverse or horizontal
Presentation: shoulder
Reference Point: scapula
Attitude: flexion
baby will NOT come out vaginal canal
fetal attitude: head flexed with arms folded onto chest, legs onto abdomen, back curved in C shape
examiner palpates ______
general flexion
(smallest part of fetal skull diameter)
posterior fontanel
fetal attitude: presents wider part of skull to inlet
examiner’s finger would palpate the ____
extended
mentum or brow
if chin first, contractions/pushing could break neck
to determine fetal position:
- identify the presenting part
- identify the maternal quadrant the presenting part is facing
position abbreviations
1st letter
2nd letter
3rd letter
1st letter = R or L of maternal pelvis
2nd letter = specific presenting part of fetus (Occiput, Mentum, Sacrum, Acromion process/scapula)
3rd letter = location of the presenting part in relation to maternal pelvis (Anterior [symphysis pubis], Posterior [sacrum], Transverse [to mom’s side])
always start with the letter in the middle
LOA
occiput is presenting part
located in left anterior quadrant of maternal pelvis - toward pubis bone