Complications of labour and delivery

Shoulder dystocia is a specific case of obstructed labour whereby after the delivery of the head, the anterior shoulder of the infant cannot pass below, or requires significant manipulation to pass below, the pubic symphysis.

Uterine rupture is a potentially catastrophic event during childbirth by which the integrity of the myometrial wall is breached.

An amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare childbirth (obstetric) emergency in which amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair, or other debris enters the mother's blood stream via the placental bed of the uterus and triggers an allergic-like reaction.

Obstructed labour, also known as labour dystocia, is when, even though the uterus is contracting normally, the baby does not exit the pelvis during childbirth due to being physically blocked.

Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby at less than 37 weeks gestational age.

A breech birth occurs when a baby is born bottom first instead of head first.

Placenta accreta occurs when all or part of the placenta attaches abnormally to the myometrium (the muscular layer of the uterine wall).

Postpartum bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is often defined as the loss of more than 500 ml or 1,000 ml of blood within the first 24 hours following childbirth.

Prolonged labour is when the total duration of childbirth is greater than 24 hours.

Vasa praevia, also spelled vasa previa, is a complication of pregnancy in which babies blood vessels cross or run near the internal opening of the uterus.

Obstetrical bleeding also known as obstetrical hemorrhage and maternal hemorrhage, refers to heavy bleeding during pregnancy, labor, or the puerperium.

Cephalo-pelvic disproportion exists when the capacity of the pelvis is inadequate to allow the fetus to negotiate the birth canal.

A shoulder presentation refers to a malpresentation at childbirth where the baby is in a transverse lie (its vertebral column is perpendicular to that of the mother), thus the leading part (the part that enters first the birth canal) is an arm, shoulder, or the trunk.

In medicine (obstetrics), the term fetal distress refers to the presence of signs in a pregnant woman—before or during childbirth—that suggest that the fetus may not be well.

Umbilical cord prolapse occurs when the umbilical cord comes out of the uterus with or before the presenting part of the fetus.

A nuchal cord occurs when the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the fetal neck 360 degrees.

A placental disease is any disease, disorder, or pathology of the placenta.

An obstetric labor complication is a difficulty or abnormality that arises during the process of labor or delivery.

A placental infarction results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the placenta, causing its cells to die.

Locked twins is a rare complication of multiple pregnancy where two fetuses become interlocked during presentation before birth.