Question

With regard to factors that affect how the fetus moves through the birth canal, nurses should be aware that which of the following is correct?

a) Fetal heart rate
b) Maternal emotions
c) Fetal position
d) Maternal age

Answer 1

The factor that directly affects how the fetus moves through the birth canal is fetal position. Oxytocin is the hormone that is primarily responsible for contractions during labor. These contractions lead to the eventual expulsion of the baby and placenta.

Step-by-step explanation:

With regard to factors that affect how the fetus moves through the birth canal, it is correct that fetal position is a key factor. The position of the fetus within the uterus and its alignment with the birth canal significantly determines the ease with which the fetus can be delivered. While other factors such as maternal emotions and maternal age can also be influential, the position of the fetus, such as vertex (head down) or breech (feet or buttocks first), is directly related to the process of moving through the birth canal.

Oxytocin is the hormone primarily responsible for contractions during labor. Before the baby and placenta are expelled, a series of physiological changes occur, including the cervical dilation, and the increasing frequency and intensity of uterine contractions, driven by oxytocin release. Progesterone also plays a role, but it is the release of oxytocin in response to cervical stretching that intensifies the contractions leading to the expulsion phase.