Forceps and Vacuum Assisted Deliveries

Sometimes even the most carefully crafted birth plans can derail, and during labor, your baby may need a little extra help emerging into the world. In such instances, doctors will help by gently guiding the child out of the birth canal with a forcep or vacuum-assisted delivery.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported forceps or vacuums were used in 5.2 percent of deliveries in 2004. Common reasons a doctor might lend mothers a helping hand range from a distressed baby with an irregular heartbeat that must be delivered immediately to prolonged deliveries where exhausted mothers can no longer push.

Forceps vs. Vacuums

Your doctor will choose the safest and most appropriate method for your circumstances, and the following criteria must be met before using either of these tools:

• Ruptured membranes (which your doctor might do for you).
• Your bladder must be drained.
• Your cervix must be fully dilated.
• The location of your baby's head and the overall well being of the child must be known.
• You must have proper analgesia. An epidural or pudenal block is usually necessary to alleviate the painful insertion of the vacuum or forceps.

The level of experience your doctor has will also factor into the decision making process. Mothers should know that both forceps and vacuums carry varying degrees of risk to you and your baby's health.

Forceps are designed with spoon-like ends (called blades although they are not sharp) specially suited to cradle your baby's head. The shanks give the forceps more length while the locks secure the blades on your baby's head. Your doctor will insert the forceps into your vagina, gently place the blades on either side of the head and use the handles to pull the baby out. Forceps are known to leave scalp blisters where the child's head was gripped and can also tear the mother's vagina, perineum, or anal sphincter. Forceps also eliminate pushing positions, such as squatting, as an option. To avoid a forceps-assisted birth, you should not get an epidural.

Vacuums are the preferred and most common method of assisted labor. Using a vacuum might cause bruising on your baby's head due to the suction from the silicone rubber cup that is placed on your baby's head and powered by an electric or manual pump. Your doctor will time the vacuum's suction to coincide with your natural contractions to help the vacuum deliver your child.

What Does This All Mean?

Forcep and vacuum-assisted deliveries carry a greater risk of injury to your baby. Although rare, these risks include nerve damage, intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain), skull fractures, and subgaleal hemorrhage (bleeding between the scalp and skin) according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, both methods are considered safe and effective when used properly by a trained and experienced medical professional.