Final answer:
The second stage of labor involves expelling the baby from the uterus and can be enhanced by optimal positioning, effective pushing techniques, and, if necessary, the administration of synthetic oxytocin known as Pitocin.
Step-by-step explanation:
Enhancing Fetal Descent in the Second Stage of Labor
The question concerns the management of care for a woman in the second stage of labor, which is when the baby is expelled from the uterus. This stage follows the dilation of the cervix to about 10 cm in the first stage and precedes the delivery of the placenta and associated fetal membranes in the third stage. To enhance the progress of fetal descent during the second stage, several measures can be taken.
These include optimal positioning to aid in the effectiveness of pushes, encouragement and guidance in pushing techniques, and monitoring the fetus to ensure safety. If labor should halt, synthetic oxytocin, or Pitocin, may be administered to restart and maintain labor. Additionally, the stretching of the myometrium and cervix by a full-term fetus in the vertex position acts as a natural stimulant for uterine contractions.