PELVIC SHAPES

GYNECOID
-rounded in shape, slightly oval

-most favorable for vaginal birth

-50% of women have gynecoid pelvis
PLATYPELLOID
-flat pelvis with a very narrow anterior-posterior diameter

and a wide transverse diameter

-least common type
-about 5% of women have platypelloid pelvis

PASSENGER
-refers to the fetus
-since the placenta must also pass through the birth canal, it is also considered a
passenger
The movement of the passenger through the birth canal is determined by different
factors including:
1. Fetal head
2. Fetal presentation
3. Fetal lie
4. Fetal attitude
5. Fetal position
FETAL HEAD
-Because of its size and relative rigidity, the fetal head has a crucial effect on the
birthing process
-It is composed of parietal bones, temporal bones, frontal bone, and occipital bones
-Sutures and fontanels make the skull flexible to accommodate the infant brain
-The changed shape of the fetal skull that results from overlapping of the cranial bones
is called MOLDING
-The diameter of the fetal skull is an important consideration during labor and birth
process
-Diameters include:
 Occipitofrontal
 Occipitomental
 Suboccipitobregmatic
 Biparietal

FETAL ACCOMMODATION TO THE PASSAGEWAY

FETAL PRESENTATION
-Refers to the part of the fetus that enters the pelvic inlet first and leads through the birth
canal during labor at term.
-There are three main representations:
1. Cephalic presentation (head first)
2. Breech presentation (buttocks or feet first)
3. Shoulder presentation
FETAL LIE
-Describes the long axis of the fetus in relation to the long axis of the pregnant woman
-There are three ways the fetus can situate itself in the uterus:
1. Longitudinal lie- the long axis of the fetus is parallel to the long axis of the mother
2. Transverse lie- the long axis of the fetus is perpendicular to the long axis of the
woman
3. Oblique lie- the long axis of the fetus is lying at an angle to the long axis of the
mother

FETAL ATTITUDE
-The relation of fetal head to fetal back or extremeties
-The normal attitude of a fetus is called GENERAL FLEXION or UNIVERSAL FLEXION
-The fetus is bent upon itself in such a manner that the back becomes markedly convex;
the head is sharply flexed so that the chin is almost in contact with the chest; the thighs
are flexed over the abdomen; and the legs are bent over the knees
FETAL POSITION
-Is the relationship of the presenting parts such as occiput, sacrum, mentum,or sinciput
to the four quadrants of the mother’s pelvis
-Denoted by a three-letter abbreviation where in first letter indicates the location of the
presenting part in the right or left side of the mother’s pelvis; the middle letter stands for
the specific presenting part of the fetus such as the occiput, sacrum, mentum, and
scapula; the third letter indicates the location of the presenting part in relation to the
anterior, posterior, or transverse portion of the maternal pelvis