Page 32 - 2023 Elctronic Book (3) Normal Labor_Neat

Caput Succedaneum

It is oedema of the fetal scalp due to prolonged compression of the fetal head against
the maternal tissues! Leading to interference with the venous return.
It occurs in obstructed labor after rupture of membranes.
The caput is few millimeters in thickness, but it may be large and protrudes from the

vagina giving a wrong impression that the head is low, when actually it is not engaged.
The caput disappears within one or two days after delivery.
The presence of the caput indicates that:

(1) The fetus was alive during labor.
(2) Labor was prolonged and obstructed.
(3) the site of the caput gives idea about the position of the head during labour

because it is formed over the lowest part of the head.
Note: Caput means head and succedaneum means swelling.

Caput Succedaneum(medicine.en.academic.com)

Molding
It means that the flat bones of the fetal skull overlap each other.

one parietal bone over-laps the other and both parietals overlap the occipital bone.
In severe degrees, the parietal bones overlap the frontal bones. Slight molding is
physiological and beneficial because it diminishes the diameters of the head and

facilitates its passage through the birth canal. Severe or rapid molding is dangerous as
it may lead to intracranial hemorrhage.

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