-IBIS-1.5.0-
tx
reproductive system
delayed parturition
diagnoses
definition and etiology
definition:
Onset of labor after 42 weeks of gestation; or lack of progress in a labor already initiated.
etiology:
The diagnosis is uncertain since the calculation for the expected date of the mother is not guaranteed to be correct. Accurate dating during the pregnancy is a help, especially the dates of the length of the mother's menstrual cycle, as with a long cycle the delivery date may be late by definition, although the fetus will be appearing at term.
Another type of delayed parturition is when the women has begun to give birth to her baby but the process of labor stops at some point and does not appear to be progressing. Reasons that might exist for a stalled labor include:
Tension, fear and anxiety in the women.
Rigid os: The soft cervix is rigid at the opening or the os does not continue to dilate.
Exhaustion.
Pain.
Cephalopelvic disproportion.
signs and symptoms
signs and symptoms:
A pregnant woman has passed her due date and is not having signs of labor OR she has already begun labor but seems to have stalled in her progression through it.
lab findings:
Ultrasound: determines the size of the fetal head, which can then discern the gestation date.
After 42 weeks, an oxytocin challenge test or a nonstress test will determine the condition of the fetus.
course and prognosis
A pregnancy that extends much beyond 42 weeks might contraindicate vaginal birth because of baby size, which can be a heavy emotional blow for a woman desiring a natural childbirth. If it is a stalled labor, the reason must be discovered before herbs or drugs are used to reinitiate it.
differential diagnosis
determine the cause
footnotes