Final answer:
The Zavanelli Maneuver is an emergency medical procedure used during childbirth when a baby's shoulders cannot pass through the mother's pelvis after the head has been delivered. It involves pushing the baby's head back into the birth canal followed by an emergency cesarean section.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is the Zavanelli Maneuver?
The Zavanelli Maneuver is a rare obstetric procedure used to resolve a case of shoulder dystocia, which is a potential emergency that occurs when a baby's shoulders get stuck inside the mother's pelvis after the head has been delivered. Traditionally, when simpler methods to free the shoulders fail, this maneuver involves pushing the baby's head back into the birth canal and performing an emergency cesarean section. The use of the Zavanelli Maneuver is considered to be a last resort due to the potential risks to both the mother and baby, including fetal injury, hypoxic brain injury, and increased maternal morbidity associated with the subsequent C-section.