Childbirth, emergency
delivery
Alternative names:
Delivery - emergency;
Emergency delivery - childbirth; Birth - emergency
Definition:
Emergency delivery
of a child when no health care professional is available.
Considerations:
During childbirth,
the mother's contractions open the cervix
enabling the baby to move down the birth canal and out the
vaginal opening.
Babies are usually born head first, facing down. After the
baby is delivered, the placenta detaches from the uterus and
is also expelled.
Early stages of labor can last many hours. During this time,
the cervix dilates and the baby begins to move down the birth
canal. Once the cervix dilates to 10 cm, the mother usually
feels the uncontrollable urge to push, and the baby's head
begins to appear at the vaginal opening. If this is the woman's
first baby, the pushing may last long enough for medical help
to arrive. If it is her second or third baby, the head may
deliver very quickly.
Rupture of the amniotic sac
may indicate that the baby will be coming soon. A large amount
of clear fluid coming from the vaginal opening all at once
or in a trickle suggests amniotic sac rupture (water breaking).
The amniotic fluid may be stained green or may contain white
or green particles.
Causes:
- Rapid delivery
is most common in women who have:
- Given birth
quickly before.
- Given birth
several times before.
- Gone into
labor prematurely.
- Premature delivery
can also be brought on by illness or injury.
Updated Date: 02/09/00
Updated By:J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director,
Utah Health Informatics and adam.com
editorial
|
