Understanding the process of normal labor and delivery allows optimal care and reassurance for the parturient and timely recognition of abnormal events.
The student will be able to describe:
- Characteristics of true and false labor
- Initial assessment of the laboring patient
- Stages and mechanism of normal labor and delivery
- Techniques to evaluate the progress of labor
- Pain management during labor
- Methods of monitoring the mother and fetus
- Management of normal delivery
- Vaginal repair
- Indications for operative delivery
- Immediate postpartum care of the mother.
