Question

A primigravida is admitted to the birthing unit in early labor. A pelvic examination reveals that her cervix is 100% effaced and dilated 3 cm. The fetal head is at +1 station. In which area of the client's pelvis is the fetal occiput?

Answer 1

The fetal occiput is in the Ischial spines.

Explanation:

During labor and delivery, the baby passes through the “pelvic bones to reach the vaginal opening”. The pelvis is located between the hip bones and is wide/flat in females. The pelvis has the uterus, cervix and vagina. The muscles in the uterus push the baby down. The baby’s head presses the cervix releasing oxytoxin. Then it dilates and allows the baby to pass through fetal station.

Fetal station is the fetus/baby is in the pelvis. Occiput is the lower part of the head/skull. The presenting part of the baby passes through the birth canal. Most of the time it would be “baby's head, shoulder, the buttocks, or the feet”. Ischial spines are “bone points” on the “mother's pelvis”. It is the “narrowest part of the pelvis”.

0 station: This is the position when baby's head is at the Ischial spines. The baby is "engaged" when largest part of the head enters the pelvis. If the presenting part lies above the Ischial spines, the station is reported as a negative number from -1 to -5.