Risks to mother, child from instruments used during birth

GHN News Editor - The
Health Behavioral News Service examines the issue of forceps delivery,
as new research points out the trauma and complications that can be
caused.

New
mothers might experience more trauma and complications after a forceps
delivery, according to a new review of studies led by Fidelma O'Mahony,
M.D. of the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in England.

With the vacuum procedure there are also risks discussed in the
research. They found newborns more apt to have scalp lacerations with
the metal cup than the soft cup vacuum, according to research
findings.

“In general, these results show tradeoffs between the different
instruments, with both advantages and disadvantages in most
comparisons,” O’Mahony said. “What is important is to be aware of the
specific advantages and disadvantages of each instrument.”

The type of delivery described in these studies, forceps and
vacuum-assisted births, remain relatively rare in the United States,
according to a 2006 report by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. That year, there were less than one percent of births that
involved forces.  Less than 4 percent involved vacuum assistance.  Some
of that, however, may be due to a lack of training, experts explain.
Still vacuum and forceps have been found to pose risks.



The
Centers for Disease Control also provides information on conditions
when the use of forceps is advisable. 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/Perinatal conditions06.pdf