About Video

Mechanism of labor is briefly described in this video, but before this the basic obstetric terminologies are discussed in the beginning which will help us in understanding the baby’s position in relationship with the maternal pelvis. Fetal lie is described as the relationship of cephalo-caudal axis or long axis of fetus to the long axis of the centralized uterus or maternal spine. Longitudinal, transverse and oblique lie are the three types. Fetal presentation is determent by fetal lie and may be of three types including cephalic, breech and shoulder presentation. The different parts of fetal head which may appear first at the birth canal depends on the degree of flexion of the fetal head. Frank breech, footling and complete breech are the different types of breech presentation. Some other presentations which are described in this video are occiput anterior presentation, occiput transverse presentation, occiput posterior presentation, face presentation and brow presentation. Denominator is a bony landmark on the presenting part used to denote the fetal position. In vertex it is the occiput, in face it is the mentum (chin), in brow it is the frontal eminence, in breech it is the sacrum and in shoulder it is the acromion. This video illustrates the mechanism of normal labor in case of the fetus in longitudinal lie having cephalic presentation with vertex as the presenting part in the left occiput lateral position. Cardinal fetal movements of labor such as engagement, flexion, descent, internal rotation, etc. are described in this video.