I. Definition Dystocia (antonym eutocia; Ancient Greek: tokos "childbirth") is an abnormal or difficult childbirth or labour.

Approximately one fifth of human labors have dystocia. Dystocia may arise due to incoordinate uterine activity, abnormal fetal lie or presentation, absolute or relative cephalopelvic disproportion, or (rarely) a massive fetal tumor such as a sacrococcygeal teratoma. Oxytocin is commonly used to treat in coordinate uterine activity, but pregnancies complicated by dystocia often end with assisted deliveries, including forceps, ventouse or, commonly, caesarean section. Recognized complications of dystocia include fetal death, respiratory depression, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and brachial nerve damage. A prolonged interval between pregnancies, primi gravida birth, and multiple birth have also been associated with increased risk for labor dystocia. dystocia - abnormal labor or childbirth. - A slow or difficult labor or delivery. fetal dystocia - that due to shape, size, or position of the fetus. maternal dystocia - that due to some condition inherent in the mother. placental dystocia - difficult delivery of the placenta.

Shoulder dystocia is a dystocia in which the anterior shoulder of the infant cannot pass below the pubic symphysis or requires significant manipulation to pass below it. It can also be described as delivery requiring additional maneuvers after gentle downward traction on the head has failed to deliver the shoulders. II. Risk Factors The incidence of dystocia is enhanced by many factors including inherited large fetal size, especially in some breeds, high feeding level of the dam during pregnancy, inherited small diameter pelvic canal, youth of the dam, male calves compared to females, the occurrence of multiple births and congenital abnormalities which increase fetal size. III. Manifestations One often described feature is the turtle sign, which involves the appearance and retraction of the fetal head (analogous to a turtle withdrawing into its shell), and the erythematous (red), puffy face indicative of facial flushing. This occurs when the baby's shoulder is obstructed by the maternal pelvis. IV. Diagnostic Procedures V. Medical Treatment