Complications in childbirth

Pelvimetry is a measurement that is made of the diameters of the mother's pelvis, both the upper and lower strait, in relation to the diameter of the fetus's head to find out if there is a possible disproportion that makes vaginal delivery difficult, and should have a caesarean section.

The National Institute of Statistics (INE) has released the definitive data on births in 2020 and the results are quite worrying in terms of the decrease in birth rates in our country and the type of delivery.

During pregnancy and delivery, it is important to carry out adequate monitoring and follow-up, so that the medical personnel verify that everything is in order, and so that they can identify the presence of any complications.

Cesarean section is a surgical procedure in which an incision is made in the mother's abdomen and uterus to remove the baby. It is indicated when it is believed that a vaginal delivery could pose a risk to the mother or the fetus.

Shoulder dystocia is defined as a complication at birth that requires additional obstetric maneuvers for the baby's shoulders to protrude, after having become embedded in the pelvic cavity after the head has emerged.

The external cephalic version (ECV) is a technique whose objective is to manually turn the baby that is poorly positioned in order to avoid a breech delivery or a cesarean section.

If, in itself, we are all concerned about the situation we are experiencing, uncertainty increases in the case of pregnant women who are going to give birth in the next few days or weeks. There is no evidence about the transmission of the virus from the mother to the baby during pregnancy, and that is good news, but what are births like during the COVID crisis?

Most deliveries go smoothly. When all the controls have been carried out during the pregnancy and the gestation has developed normally, the delivery usually occurs without unforeseen events.