Taking a stand for operative vaginal delivery

Clinical and Physician Factors Associated With Failed Operative Vaginal Delivery

“…Based on our results, one potentially modifiable factor for operative vaginal delivery success is physician experience, which is especially complex in an era of declining operative vaginal delivery rates. 1,19 Our data suggest that operative vaginal delivery attempts were more closely associated with forceps success than vacuum success, which may speak to the technical training required to perform forceps deliveries. Of note, the relationship with operative vaginal delivery volume and success may be related not only to technical skills of the health care professional, but also to improved clinical judgment regarding when an operative vaginal delivery is appropriate; this is difficult to distinguish based on our results.…”

“…O perative vaginal delivery rates are declining. [1][2][3] This is important not only because operative vaginal deliveries play a role in reducing primary cesarean birth rates among nulliparous individuals, 4 but also because operative vaginal delivery failure is associated with significant increases in both severe maternal and neonatal morbidity when compared with cesarean birth in labor. 5 Although prior studies have examined factors associated with operative vaginal delivery failure, few have identified modifiable factors and even fewer have been able to ascertain a potentially critical factor-physician experience.…”