What are the signs of obstructed labour?
A key sign of an obstructed labour is if the widest diameter of the fetal skull remains stationary above the pelvic brim because it is unable to descend. You should be able to detect this by careful palpation of the mother’s abdomen as the uterus relaxes and softens between contractions.
How does obstructed labor cause maternal mortality?
Maternal mortality from obstructed labour is largely the result of ruptured uterus or puerperal infection, whereas perinatal mortality is mainly due to asphyxia.
What are the prevention of obstructed labour?
The skills specific to preventing and managing prolonged and obstructed labour include: identification of risk factors; assessing pelvic outlet; diagnosing presentation and position of the baby; assessing descent of the fetal head; recognizing obstructed labour; and vacuum extraction.
Is obstructed labour an emergency?
If cesarean section is obtained in a timely manner, prognosis is good. Prolonged obstructed labour can lead to stillbirth, obstetric fistula, and maternal death. Fetal death can be caused by asphyxia. Obstructed labor is the leading cause of uterine rupture worldwide.
What are the risks of prolonged labour?
There are risks to the baby with prolonged labor:
- Low or inadequate oxygen, resulting in hypoxia, asphyxia, acidosis, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Fetal distress.
- Infection.
- Intracranial hemorrhaging.
What are the complications of obstructed labour?
Prolonged obstructed labour can lead to stillbirth, obstetric fistula, and maternal death. Fetal death can be caused by asphyxia. Obstructed labor is the leading cause of uterine rupture worldwide. Maternal death can result from uterine rupture, complications during caesarean section, or sepsis.
What is the pathophysiology of obstructed labour?
Maternal mortality from obstructed labour is largely the result of ruptured uterus or puerperal infection, whereas perinatal mortality is mainly due to asphyxia. Significant maternal morbidity is associated with prolonged labour, since both post-partum haemorrhage and infection are more common in women with long labours.
What is the prognosis of obstructed labour?
Obstructed labour also causes significant maternal morbidity in the short term (notably infection) and long term (notably obstetric fistulas). Fetal death from asphyxia is also common. There are differences in the behaviour of the uterus during obstructed labour, depending on whether the woman has delivered previously.
How can we solve the problem of obstructed labour?
Ultimately, tackling the problem of obstructed labour will require universal adequate nutritional intake from childhood and the ability to access adequately equipped and staffed clinical facilities when problems arise in labour. These seem still rather distant aspirations.
What is the impact ofstructed labour on community health?
It has particular impact in communities in which mechanical problems during labour are common and availability of functioning relevant health services is sparse. Obstructed labour comprises one of the five major causes of maternal mortality and morbidity in developing countries 3,4.