Types of Forceps Deliveries

4/20/2019 Types of Forceps Deliveries
Forceps Deliveries: Definition, Risks,

and Prevention
Medically reviewed by Michael Weber, MD on October 24, 2016 — Written by Chaunie
Brusie
Risks Uses Prevention Ventouse vs. forceps Vacuum vs. forceps

What to expect Recovery Types Bottom line
What is it?
Many pregnant women are able to deliver their babies in the hospital
normally and without medical assistance. This is called spontaneous
vaginal childbirth. However, there are some situations in which a mother
may need help during delivery.
In these cases, doctors will perform an assisted vaginal delivery, which is

sometimes referred to as an operative vaginal delivery. The doctor will
use forceps or a vacuum to help get the baby out safely.
What are forceps?
Forceps are a medical tool that resemble large salad tongs. During a
forceps delivery, your doctor will use this tool to grasp your baby’s head
and gently guide your baby out of the birth canal. Forceps are usually
used during a contraction when the mother is trying to push the baby out.
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Risks of forceps deliveries

All forceps deliveries pose some risk of injury. After delivery, your doctor
will examine and monitor both you and your baby for any injuries or
complications.
Risks for the baby
Some risks to the baby during a forceps delivery include:
small facial injuries caused by the pressure of the forceps
temporary facial muscle weakness, or facial palsy

skull fracture
bleeding in the skull

seizures
Most babies do fine with a forceps delivery. Babies delivered with forceps
will usually have minor marks on their faces for a short period after
delivery. Serious injuries are uncommon.
Risks for the mother
Some risks to the mother during a forceps delivery include:
pain in the tissue between the vagina and anus after delivery
tears and wounds in the lower genital tract
injuries to the bladder or urethra

problems urinating or emptying the bladder
short-term incontinence, or loss of bladder control

anemia, or a lack of red blood cells, due to blood loss during
delivery
uterine rupture, or a tear in the wall of the uterus (both are

extremely rare) may cause the baby or placenta to be pushed into
the mother’s abdomen
weakness of the muscles and ligaments that support the pelvic

organs, resulting in pelvic prolapse, or the dropping of pelvic
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organs from their normal position
When are forceps used?

Situations where forceps might be used include:
when the baby isn’t traveling down the birth canal as expected
when there are concerns about the baby’s health and the doctor
needs to get the baby out more quickly
when the mother can’t push or has been advised not to push during
childbirth
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Can you prevent a forceps delivery?

It's hard to predict what your labor and delivery will be like. But in general,
the best thing you can do to have a complication-free delivery is to try to
maintain a healthy pregnancy. That means exercising regularly, following
your doctor's recommendations for weight gain and healthy eating, and
attending a childbirth class so that you know what to expect from delivery.
Being prepared can help you to stay more calm and relaxed during labor
and delivery. If you’ve had more than one child, are older, or have a
larger-than-normal baby, you are also at a higher risk of needing forceps.
In other cases, however, there may be too many things that can
complicate a labor. Your baby may be larger than expected or in a
position that makes giving birth completely on your own impossible. Or
your body may simply get too tired.
Ventouse vs. forceps delivery

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There are actually two ways to help a woman deliver vaginally. The first
way is to use a vacuum to help pull the baby out; this is called a ventouse
delivery. The second way is using forceps to help the baby out of the birth
canal.
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Vacuum vs. forceps delivery: Which is preferred?

According to the World Health Organization, it's generally better for
doctors to use a vacuum to help a baby out if necessary. It’s associated
with lower rates of complication for the mother. Studies that compare the
two can be confusing, because forceps have a higher success rate in
actually getting the baby out. But they also have a higher emergency
cesarean delivery rate. What these numbers mean, however, is that
usually doctors use a vacuum first, then forceps. And if those still don't
work, a cesarean delivery is necessary.
Vacuum-assisted births have less risk of injury to the mother and less
pain. There are some situations, however, when a doctor can't use a
vacuum. If your baby needs help and is coming out of the birth canal with
their face first, instead of the top of the head, a doctor will not be able to
use a vacuum. Forceps will be the only option, outside of a cesarean
delivery.
What to expect with forceps deliveries

During a forceps delivery, you’ll be asked to lie on your back on a slight
incline with your legs spread apart. Your doctor may ask that you grasp 
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handles on either side of the delivery table to support you while you push.
In between contractions, your doctor will place several fingers inside of

your vagina to feel the baby’s head. Once the doctor locates the baby,
they’ll slide each forceps blade around either side of the baby’s head. If it
has a lock, the forceps will be locked so that they can gently grip the
baby’s head.
As you push during the next contraction, your doctor will use the forceps
to guide your baby out through the birth canal. Your doctor may also use
the forceps to rotate your baby’s head downward if it’s facing up.
If your doctor can’t grasp your baby safely with forceps, they might use a
vacuum cup attached to a pump to pull your baby out. If forceps and a
vacuum cup aren’t successful in pulling your baby out within 20 minutes,
your doctor will likely need to perform a cesarean delivery.
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Recovery from a forceps delivery
Women who undergo forceps delivery can expect some pain and
discomfort for up to several weeks after a forceps delivery. However, you
should contact your doctor right away if the pain is very intense or doesn’t
go away after a few weeks. Severe or persistent pain may indicate a
serious condition that needs immediate treatment.
Types of forceps
More than 700 types of obstetric forceps have been developed to
perform assisted vaginal delivery. Some forceps are most appropriate for
certain childbirth situations, so hospitals usually keep several different
types of forceps on hand. Even though each type is made for a specific
situation, all forceps are similar in design.
Forceps design
Forceps have two prongs that are used for grasping the baby’s head.
These prongs are called “blades.” Each blade has a differently sized
curve. The right blade, or cephalic curve, is deeper than the left blade, or
pelvic curve. The cephalic curve is meant to fit around the baby’s head,
and the pelvic curve is shaped to fit against the mother’s birth canal.
Some forceps have a rounder cephalic curve. Other forceps have a more
elongated curve. The type of forceps used depends partly on the shape
of the baby’s head. Regardless of the type used, the forceps should grasp
the baby's head firmly, but not tightly.
The two blades of a forceps sometimes cross at a midpoint called an

articulation. The majority of forceps have a lock at the articulation.
However, there are sliding forceps that allow the two blades to slide
along each other. The type of forceps used also depends on the position
of the baby. A forceps with a fixed lock is used during delivery if the
baby's head is already facing downward and little or no rotation of the
baby is needed. If the baby’s head isn’t facing downward and some
rotation of the baby’s head is required, then sliding forceps are used.
All forceps also have handles, which are connected to the blades by
stems. A forceps with longer stems is used when a forceps rotation is
being considered. During delivery, your doctor will use the handles to

grasp your baby’s head and then to pull the baby out of the
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birth canal.
NEWSLETTER
Types of forceps
There are hundreds of different types of forceps. The most commonly

used forceps include the following:
Simpson forceps have an elongated cephalic curve. They’re used

when the baby’s head has been squeezed into a cone-like shape
by the mother’s birth canal.
Elliot forceps have a rounded cephalic curve and are used when
the baby’s head is round.
Kielland forceps have a very shallow pelvic curve and a sliding lock.
They’re the most commonly used forceps when the baby needs to
be rotated.
Wrigley’s forceps have short stems and blades that can minimize
the risk of a serious complication called uterine rupture. It’s most
often used in deliveries in which the baby is far along in the birth
canal. It might also be used during a cesarean delivery.
Piper’s forceps have downward-curving stems to fit around the

underside of your baby’s body. This allows the doctor to grasp the
head during a breech delivery.
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Bottom line
Labor is unpredictable and that's why doctors have tools to help when
necessary. Some doctors don’t use forceps, so you should check with
your doctor ahead of time on their policy for using forceps during birth.
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Always talk to your doctor about your concerns.
Q:
What should a woman write in her birth plan if she doesn’t want a
vacuum or forceps-assisted delivery?
A:
First, you might want to talk to your doctor and confirm they are
trained and comfortable doing these types of procedures before
you make your decision. Any woman seeking to avoid operative
vaginal deliveries should discuss this ahead of time with her
doctor. It can be simply stated in the birth plan as ‘I would like to
decline operative vaginal delivery.’ By declining this option
however, most women should understand that she may now
require a cesarean delivery instead, as forceps and vacuums are
usually only used when spontaneous vaginal delivery requires
assistance to be successful.
― Dr. Michael Weber
Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly
informational and should not be considered medical advice.
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4/20/2019 Types of Forceps Deliveries

Forceps Deliveries: Deﬁnition, Risks,

Risks Uses Prevention Ventouse vs. forceps Vacuum vs. forceps

In these cases, doctors will perform an assisted vaginal delivery, which is

What are forceps?

Risks of forceps deliveries

Risks for the baby

Some risks to the baby during a forceps delivery include:

small facial injuries caused by the pressure of the forceps

temporary facial muscle weakness, or facial palsy

bleeding in the skull

Risks for the mother

Some risks to the mother during a forceps delivery include:

injuries to the bladder or urethra

short-term incontinence, or loss of bladder control

uterine rupture, or a tear in the wall of the uterus (both are

organs from their normal position

When are forceps used?

Can you prevent a forceps delivery?

Ventouse vs. forceps delivery

Vacuum vs. forceps delivery: Which is preferred?

What to expect with forceps deliveries

In between contractions, your doctor will place several fingers inside of

Get Answers from a Doctor in Minutes,

ASK A DOCTOR NOW

Recovery from a forceps delivery

The two blades of a forceps sometimes cross at a midpoint called an

There are hundreds of different types of forceps. The most commonly

Simpson forceps have an elongated cephalic curve. They’re used

Piper’s forceps have downward-curving stems to fit around the

― Dr. Michael Weber

READ THIS NEXT

Do You Live with Anxiety? Here Are 11 Ways to

I Don’t Like Meditating. Here’s Why I Do It

The Diﬀerence Between VLDL and LDL

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that's needed to build cells. Low-density

Another Blood Pressure Medication Recalled —

12 Simple Tips to Help Eliminate Gluten from Your

How Long Does Chicken Last in the Fridge?

Given that chicken has a high risk of bacterial contamination, preparing,

The Eﬀects of Sleep Deprivation on Your Body

Scared of Needles? Here Are 6 Alternatives to

What's a needle-fearing, skin-loving person to do? Here are six needle-

The No BS Guide to Good, Healthy Carbs

Get our wellness

Enter your email

Your privacy is important to us

About Us Health Topics

Health News FDA

Advertising Policy Newsletters

Careers Privacy Policy

Terms of Use Find an Online Doctor

You might also like