See Also
1. Labor Dystocia
2. Labor Dystocia Prevention
Indications
1. Failure to Progress
Management: Stage One
1. See Labor Coaching
2. Consider Active Management of Labor
  1. See Oxytocin Augmentation
3. Consider amniotomy
4. Consider extending definitions of arrested labor
  1. Delaying C-section until 4 hours without dilation
  2. Typically were indicated at 2 hours without change
Management: Stage 2
1. Consider Oxytocin Augmentation
2. Avoid exhausting mother early
  1. Consider not pushing until involuntary urge to push
  2. Consider waiting until vertex approaches introitus
3. Consider Assisted Delivery
  1. Vacuum Assisted Delivery
  2. Forceps Assisted Delivery
4. Consider correction of malposition: Occiput Posterior
  1. Maternal position change
    1. Position mother curling forward from hips
  2. Manual Rotation in Occipitoposterior Presentation
Management: Dystocia refractory to above management
1. Consider Cesarean section
Preventive Measures
1. See Labor Dystocia Prevention
References
1. Shields (2000) ALSO, F:1-14
2. Peaceman (1996) Am J Obstet Gynecol 175(2):363-8
3. Shields (2007) Am Fam Physician 75(11):1671-8

Family Practice Notebook

Patients should address specific medical concerns with their physicians.

Although access to this page is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers.

This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, last revised on 10/21/2007 and last published on 2/5/2012.

This is one of 5663 pages in the Family Practice Notebook