Does this ever happen during childbirth?

[Claire98909]

Does it ever happen where the top of the head has crowned but the rest of the head gets stuck in the pelvis so they have to push the top of the head back in and do a c section? I'm not referring to shoulder dystocia.

[obdoc]

This is a little confusing.  I don't know is you are referring to the Zavinelli maneuver--which is the act of pushing the head back in and doing a C. Section.  Maybe there was a "turtle sign"--however the Zavinelli is a last ditch after all other maneuvers for shoulder have failed.

Do you have any more information--can you ask the person who delivered you??

[katelove]

Originally Posted by Claire98909 

Does it ever happen where the top of the head has crowned but the rest of the head gets stuck in the pelvis so they have to push the top of the head back in and do a c section? I'm not referring to shoulder dystocia.

Crowning refers to the point at which the widest part of the head, usually around the forehead just above the ears, is at the vaginal opening. If this occurs then the head can't be trapped in the pelvis. There can be a soft tissue obstruction which is resolved with an episotomy as last resort.

Turtle sign cannot occur until the entire head is born.

From what you described in your first post my answer would be no, I can't think of a circumstance in which that would occur. I'd be interested to know what prompted the question and any other information you may have though.

[member234098]

G

Edited by member234098 - 5/25/12 at 11:00pm

[myk]

my baby didn't crown, but the head was visible. she got stuck and i hemorrhaged. we went to c/s after that. so yeah, aside from "crowning", it does happen.

[katelove]

Originally Posted by myk 

my baby didn't crown, but the head was visible. she got stuck and i hemorrhaged. we went to c/s after that. so yeah, aside from "crowning", it does happen.

That is a fairly important distinction though. As I explained in my previous post the widest part of the head must be through the pelvis for crowning to occur. The head can be visible for a long time before that happens and has usually not cleared the pelvic outlet at the point when it first becomes visible during contractions.