Question

You are assisting a full-term pregnant patient in the delivery of her newborn at home. However, once the baby's head delivers and turns to accommodate the shoulders, the next few contractions fail to produce the newborn's shoulder. In this case, what should you do next?

A) Using gentle pressure, guide the infant's head upward to facilitate the anterior shoulder, and then downward to release the posterior shoulder.

B) Using gentle pressure, guide the infant's head downward to facilitate the anterior shoulder and then upward to release the posterior shoulder.

C) Using gentle pressure, guide the infant's head back into the birth canal and rotate the infant's head in the opposite direction and see if the next contraction allows the shoulder passage.

D) Using gentle pressure on the infant's head with the palm of your gloved hand, expedite transport because delivery will require cesarean section at the hospital.

Answer 1

In the situation described, where the newborn's shoulders are stuck after the head has delivered, the correct response is to guide the infant's head downward and then upward to facilitate the delivery of the shoulders.

Step-by-step explanation:

When assisting a full-term pregnant patient in the delivery of her newborn and the baby's head has delivered but the shoulders have not, the correct action to take is: Using gentle pressure, guide the infant's head downward to facilitate the anterior shoulder and then upward to release the posterior shoulder. This maneuver helps realign the baby's position to fit through the birth canal.

The cervical dilation is the first stage of labor, where the cervix thins and dilates to about 10 cm. The expulsion of the newborn is the second stage, where uterine contractions and maternal efforts help deliver the baby. The umbilical cord is usually cut soon after this stage. Finally, the third stage involves the passage of the placenta. If labor stalls before stage two is reached, synthetic oxytocin or Pitocin may be used to stimulate contractions.