Mechanism of Normal Labour
Mechanism of Normal Labour
Mechanism of Normal Labour
DEFINITION
As the fetus descends, soft tissue and bony structures exert pressures which lead to
descent through the birth canal by a series of passive movements collectively these movements
are called as Mechanism of labor.
PRINCIPLES
Descent takes place throughout the labor.
Whichever part leads and first meets the resistance of the pelvic floor will rotate forwards
until it comes under the symphysis pubis.
Whatever emerges from the pelvis will pivot around the pubic bone.
CHARECTERISTICS
Lie is longitudinal
Attitude is one of the good flexion
Presentation is cephalic presentation
Position is left occipito anterior
Denominator is the occiput
Presenting part is the posterior part of the anterior parietal bone
Occiput points in right ileo pectineal eminence
Sagittal sutures lies in right oblique diameter
Presenting diameter is suboccipito frontal diameter 10cm
Shoulders lies in left oblique diameter
MAIN MOVEMENTS
1) Descend:
In primi gravida it occurs during latter weeks of pregnancy
It will be aided by
Forces of uterine contraction and retraction
Rupture of fore waters
Full cervical dilatation
Maternal efforts speeds progress
Slope of the pelvic floor muscle
2) Flexion:
This increases throughout the labor
Because of uterine contraction, fetal axis pressure will be exerted more on the occiput
than the sinciput causing good flexion
Because of flexion the suboccipito frontal 10cm is reduced into suboccipito bregmatic
9.5cm
The occiput is the leading part
6) Restitution:
The occiput moves one-eighth of a circle towards the side from it started
Because of this the twist in the neck of the fetus which resulted from internal rotation is
now corrected by a slight un twisted movement
9) Lateral flexion:
Anterior shoulder deliver by downwards and backward movement and posterior shoulder
deliver by upward and forward movement
Body will be delivered by lateral flexion