Sometimes an emergency Caesarean section has to be chosen at the last minute during a delivery. Research is being carried out at the University Medical Center Groningen into performing an ultrasound during childbirth.
Before delivery it is difficult to determine whether the head will fit through the pelvis. The baby's head is flexible and the pelvis is also flexible. How the baby is in front of it at the very last minute seems to be decisive. In Groningen they think they have found the solution:an ultrasound when they are ten centimeters dilated.
An ultrasound device on the labia can be used to determine the angle of the pubic bone in relation to the head. If that angle turns out to be too sharp, you can opt for a caesarean section to avoid an emergency caesarean section. When an emergency cesarean section is performed now, the baby is often far in the birth canal. This can make the operation more difficult and the risks for mother and baby are greater in that case.
