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Shoulder Dystocia: Overview and Management Strategies

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Intrapartum Ultrasonography for Labor Management

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Abstract

In this chapter we will explain what shoulder dystocia (SD) is and how it is defined. We will also talk about the risk factors and focus, in particular, on the three most important risk factors: fetal macrosomia, diabetes and previous shoulder dystocia. We will explain that whatever method is used to estimate the fetal weight at term of pregnancy, it has a high margin of error and this error increases with increasing fetal weight. We will explain why, in most cases, shoulder dystocia is unpredictable and unforeseeable so that, generally, the induction of labour or elective caesarean section, for all women with suspected fetal macrosomia are not indicated. We will explain why it is very important to take human factors into account, when trying to solve SD, and why it is good to continually practice the simulation. Finally, we will focus on how to diagnose and manage SD in the best possible way.

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Abbreviations

SD:

Shoulder dystocia

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Giovanni Calibita, Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Isola Tiberina, Rome, Italy

    Antonio Ragusa, Alessandro Svelato & Sara D’Avino

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bolognini Hospital, Seriate, Bergamo, Italy

    Claudio Crescini

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  1. Antonio Ragusa
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  2. Alessandro Svelato
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  3. Sara D’Avino
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  4. Claudio Crescini
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Santa Maria Hospital, GVM Care and Research, Bari, Italy

    Antonio Malvasi

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Ragusa, A., Svelato, A., D’Avino, S., Crescini, C. (2021). Shoulder Dystocia: Overview and Management Strategies. In: Malvasi, A. (eds) Intrapartum Ultrasonography for Labor Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57595-3_40

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