ANTENATAL CORTICOSTEROIDS

SWARAJ HOSPITAL & RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BOLANGIR, ODISHA  •  OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY CLINICAL PATHWAY SERIES

Clinician Reference Infographic

Antenatal Corticosteroids (ACS) — A Practical Guide

Antenatal corticosteroids accelerate fetal lung maturation when given to a woman at risk of preterm birth, meaningfully reducing neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular haemorrhage, and death. They are one of the highest-yield interventions in all of obstetrics — but the benefit depends heavily on giving the right drug, at the right time, in the right window before delivery.

🎯 AT A GLANCE — WHO SHOULD RECEIVE ACS

Any woman at risk of preterm birth within the next 7 days — from preterm labor, PPROM, or a planned preterm delivery for a maternal or fetal indication

GREEN — Term (≥37 weeks): not indicated

AMBER — Late preterm (34+0 to 36+6 weeks): consider if birth is likely within 7 days and no prior course has been given — benefit is real but more modest

RED — Early/moderate preterm (24+0 to 33+6 weeks): strongly indicated if birth is likely within 7 days — give promptly

💉 DRUGS & DOSING REGIMENS

Betamethasone: 12 mg IM, two doses, 24 hours apart

Dexamethasone: 6 mg IM, four doses, 12 hours apart

Either drug is acceptable — choice usually comes down to local availability and protocol, not a meaningful difference in benefit

A "complete course" means every scheduled dose has been given — but even a partial course has some benefit if delivery happens sooner than expected.

🔬 MECHANISM OF ACTION — HOW ACS WORKS

Betamethasone and dexamethasone cross the placenta and bind glucocorticoid receptors in fetal tissue, switching on genes that drive structural maturation

In the lungs: accelerates maturation of type II pneumocytes and boosts surfactant production — surfactant lowers surface tension in the air sacs, keeping them open after birth

Also thins the air–blood barrier and increases lung compliance, so the newborn lung is mechanically ready to breathe air effectively

Beyond the lungs: stabilizes fragile blood vessels in the brain's germinal matrix (lowering IVH risk) and matures the gut lining (lowering NEC risk)

Timeline of effect: measurable benefit starts around 18–24 hours after the first dose, peaks near 48 hours, and lasts about 7 days — this is exactly why the "24 hours to 7 days" window exists.

⏱️ THE OPTIMAL TIMING WINDOW

Best benefit: delivery occurring 24 hours to 7 days after completing the course

Delivered sooner: even a single dose shortly before birth offers some benefit — never withhold it because "there's no time to finish"

Delivered later: benefit fades beyond 7 days — a single rescue course may be considered if still preterm and now at renewed risk

🚨 NEVER DELAY DELIVERY FOR STEROIDS

Non-reassuring fetal status, severe pre-eclampsia with uncontrolled BP, or placental abruption all override waiting for a steroid course

Give the first dose if time genuinely allows — but the obstetric indication for urgent delivery always comes first

A partial or even a single dose is still worthwhile; an unsafe delay is not

🔁 REPEAT (RESCUE) COURSE

Consider one rescue course if the prior course was given more than 7–14 days ago (per local protocol), the pregnancy is still under 34 weeks, and preterm birth is now likely again within 7 days

Avoid multiple repeat courses — repeated exposure has been linked to lower birth weight and raises theoretical concerns about neurodevelopment

One rescue course is reasonable; routine repeated courses are not — individualize beyond a single rescue with senior input.

💧 SPECIAL SITUATION — PRETERM PRELABOUR RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES (PPROM)

PPROM is one of the most common reasons ACS is given — ruptured membranes themselves don't change the dose or drug choice

Give a course promptly on diagnosis if the pregnancy is under the usual gestational cut-off, since the time to delivery after PPROM is often unpredictable

ACS does not meaningfully increase maternal or neonatal infection rates in PPROM — this has been consistently shown across trials, and the lung benefit for the baby outweighs the theoretical infection concern

Best paired with latency antibiotics per local protocol — steroids and antibiotics are complementary decisions here, not competing ones

Watch for the interpretation trap: the transient leukocytosis steroids cause (see Side Effects) can muddy infection markers in a population already at higher infection risk. Lean on clinical signs — fever, uterine tenderness, fetal tachycardia, foul-smelling liquor — more than an isolated raised WBC in the days after dosing.

If the pregnancy continues well past the 7-day benefit window without delivery, and preterm birth risk re-emerges, a single rescue course can be considered — same criteria as above

👶 WHY WE GIVE IT — NEONATAL BENEFITS

Reduces respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and the need for respiratory support

Reduces intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and neonatal death

Benefit is strongest from 24–34 weeks; in the late preterm window (34–36+6 weeks) the effect is more modest but still real — mainly less transient respiratory distress

⚠️ SIDE EFFECTS TO ANTICIPATE

Maternal

Transient hyperglycaemia — peaks 12–24 hours after a dose and can last several days; matters most in diabetic mothers

Transient leukocytosis (raised white cell count) — can mimic or mask signs of infection on blood tests

Mild, usually clinically insignificant rise in blood pressure

Rare — pulmonary oedema: risk rises when steroids are combined with tocolytics and generous IV fluids; watch fluid balance closely

Fetal / Neonatal

Transiently reduced fetal movements and heart rate variability for 48–96 hours — an expected response, not a sign of compromise

Neonatal hypoglycaemia — from rebound after the maternal glucose effect wears off

With repeated courses: lower birth weight, and theoretical neurodevelopmental concerns (see Repeat Course above)

Most of these effects are transient and expected — anticipating a temporary dip in fetal heart rate variability after dosing prevents unnecessary alarm or unnecessary intervention.

Diabetes (Pre-existing or Gestational)

Steroids transiently raise maternal blood glucose

Anticipate closer glucose monitoring, and possible insulin adjustment, for 3–5 days

Suspected Chorioamnionitis

Not an absolute contraindication

Weigh infection risk individually, with senior input

Multiple Pregnancy

Same maternal dose regardless of the number of fetuses

Indication and timing principles are unchanged

Late Preterm (34–36+6 wks)

Only if no prior course was given

Smaller absolute benefit — still worth giving if birth is likely within 7 days

Optimal Window

24 Hours to 7 Days

1hr–7d

FROM FIRST DOSE
TO BEST-TIMED DELIVERY

Maximum neonatal benefit occurs when delivery happens in this window after the course is completed — not so soon that the drug hasn't acted, and not so late that the effect has faded.

Even a single dose shortly before birth has some benefit — don't withhold it because delivery seems imminent

If delivery ends up more than 7 days away, reconsider a single rescue course closer to the time, if still preterm

Never delay a medically necessary urgent delivery solely to finish the steroid course

Document the timing of each dose clearly — it shapes what the neonatal team expects and plans for

Reminder: the goal is a baby delivered in the window of benefit, not a "completed course" for its own sake.

Swaraj Hospital & Research Institute · Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Bolangir, Odisha

Clinician-facing summary for structured teaching and triage; exact gestational cut-offs, repeat-course intervals, and dosing regimens vary by guideline — follow local institutional protocol.

Saving Mothers: How Vigilance Can Defeat Maternal Sepsis

SWARAJ HOSPITAL & RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BOLANGIR, ODISHA  •  OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY CLINICAL PATHWAY SERIES

Clinician Reference Infographic

Maternal Sepsis — Screening & Management

Sepsis is the 2nd leading cause of maternal death overall, and the leading cause of severe maternal morbidity specifically in the antepartum and postpartum periods. Most cases are considered preventable. This guide reflects the updated two-step approach from the CMQCC Obstetric Sepsis Toolkit, 2nd Edition (2025): infection alone is not sepsis — sepsis requires infection plus end-organ injury, and SIRS criteria are no longer used to define it.

🧠 WHY MATERNAL SEPSIS GETS MISSED

Wellness bias: symptoms get dismissed because the patient still "looks well" — pregnancy's usual optimism can mask early warning signs

Normalization of deviance: small abnormal vital signs get tolerated one at a time until a pattern is missed altogether

The "3 Deadly D's": Denial, Delay, Dismissal — naming this pattern is the first step to interrupting it.

"I don't feel like they ever took my concerns seriously... they wanted to send me home." — patient account, CMQCC qualitative research

🚦 AT A GLANCE — RISK STRATIFICATION

GREEN: vital signs within normal pregnancy-adjusted range, no concerning symptoms

AMBER: one or more abnormal vital signs (Step 1 screen positive) — needs bedside evaluation, not automatic dismissal

RED: screen positive and any sign of end-organ injury on bedside evaluation — this is sepsis until proven otherwise

Step 1

Pregnancy-Adjusted Vital Sign Screen

Identifies possible "serious infection" — but the false-positive rate is too high to diagnose sepsis from this step alone

Timing Rules That Matter

Heart rate: only counts as abnormal if it persists on a recheck within 20 minutes

Resp. rate & temperature: a single abnormal value counts — these aren't expected to be rechecked that quickly

All abnormal vitals must fall within 2 hours of each other to count together

Abnormal WBC must fall within 24 hours of the other abnormal criteria

A small respiratory rate change of just 3–5 breaths/min can be an early sign of deterioration — don't dismiss it as "just pain."

Step 2

Bedside Evaluation for End-Organ Injury

Default action: in the absence of a clear alternative diagnosis, the default is to act — treat the possible infection and gather more information, not to wait and watch

General observation: shivering, confusion, clammy skin, difficulty breathing, grimacing/guarding, poor perfusion

Look for an infection source: incision/laceration, breasts, urinary symptoms or CVA tenderness, cough or abnormal lung sounds

Actively exclude alternative diagnoses: heavy bleeding (haemorrhage), hypertension/oedema/headache (pre-eclampsia)

If any end-organ injury criterion is met, the diagnosis of sepsis is made — this evaluation can be performed by an RN, midwife, or physician.

Sepsis

≥1 end-organ injury criterion present, in the setting of infection

Septic Shock

Needs vasopressors to keep MAP >65 mmHg despite adequate fluids, plus lactate >2 mmol/L

Serious Infection + High Lactate

No end-organ injury yet, but elevated lactate — increased monitoring, reassess soon

Serious Infection + Normal Lactate

No end-organ injury, normal lactate — still needs increased monitoring, not discharge

💡 TEACHING PEARLS — LACTATE & CULTURES

Lactate isn't used to diagnose sepsis itself — it reflects tissue perfusion and matters most for identifying septic shock

Labor alone can raise lactate through ordinary anaerobic muscle metabolism — a woman not in labor, or more than an hour postpartum, shouldn't have lactate >2 mmol/L without explanation

Blood cultures ideally come before antibiotics — but if antibiotics were already started for a presumed infection, draw cultures at the point sepsis is diagnosed instead of withholding treatment

Blood cultures are almost never positive in chorioamnionitis alone — they can reasonably wait unless end-organ injury appears

🛠️ MANAGEMENT — FLUIDS & ANTIBIOTICS

Fluid Resuscitation

Septic shock: 30 mL/kg crystalloid bolus within the first 3 hours — dosed on ideal body weight, not actual weight

Serious infection without end-organ injury: a more modest 500–1000 mL fluid load

Antibiotics

Give within 1 hour of diagnosis — for both sepsis of known and unknown origin

For chorioamnionitis/endometritis, ceftriaxone + metronidazole is gaining favor (including for penicillin allergy); piperacillin-tazobactam offers single-drug broad coverage

Let your local antibiogram guide empiric choice — options vary meaningfully by site

🗣️ ESCALATING WHEN YOU MEET RESISTANCE

Use CUS words — Concerned, Uncomfortable, Safety issue — when a screen is positive but the response is "let's just keep monitoring"

Example: "Although vital signs are often elevated in pregnancy, her current vital signs meet sepsis screening criteria. This is now a safety issue we must address."

Start The Clock

Time Zero

1

HOUR TO
ANTIBIOTICS

The moment sepsis is diagnosed is "time zero" — the clock for antibiotics, fluids, and escalation starts immediately, not once every question is answered.

Antibiotics within 1 hour of diagnosis — every minute of delay matters

Don't wait for a "sicker-looking" patient — act on the numbers and the pattern, not just appearance

Use CUS language early if the team is inclined to just keep watching

After the event: a brief, honest debrief and a clear discharge conversation about warning signs measurably changes how patients experience their recovery

Reminder: the patient who "looks fine" is exactly the patient wellness bias is most likely to fail — trust the numbers.

Swaraj Hospital & Research Institute · Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Bolangir, Odisha

Adapted for clinical teaching from the CMQCC "Improving Diagnosis and Treatment of Obstetric Sepsis" Toolkit, 2nd Edition (2025) — cmqcc.org. This summary paraphrases toolkit concepts for education; it is not a reproduction of the toolkit and does not replace it or define local standard of care. Confirm dosing, antibiotic choice, and escalation pathways against your institution's protocol and antibiogram.

"VEAL CHOP" FHR PATTERN

SWARAJ HOSPITAL & RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BOLANGIR, ODISHA  •  OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY CLINICAL PATHWAY SERIES

Clinician Reference Infographic

Fetal Heart Rate Patterns — A Visual Reference

Recognizing a fetal heart rate pattern by its shape on the trace is the foundation of CTG interpretation. This quick-reference lines up baseline patterns, variability, and the periodic patterns side by side so their shapes can be told apart at a glance. For what to actually do about each pattern, see our companion "Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring" guide.

📏 BASELINE RATE — WHERE THE LINE SITS

Normal

110–160 bpm

Reassuring

Tachycardia

> 160 bpm

Non-reassuring

Bradycardia

< 110 bpm

Non-reassuring

The shaded band marks the normal range — a trace sitting consistently above or below it is what defines tachycardia or bradycardia, not a brief blip.

Tachycardia — common causes: maternal fever or chorioamnionitis, fetal hypoxia, prematurity, certain drugs (e.g., beta-sympathomimetics), fetal tachyarrhythmia

Bradycardia — common causes: prolonged cord compression, maternal hypotension, uterine hyperstimulation, or an acute hypoxic event — prolonged bradycardia is an emergency

📶 VARIABILITY — THE AMPLITUDE SPECTRUM

Absent

< 2 bpm

Abnormal

Minimal

2–5 bpm

Non-reassuring

Moderate

5–25 bpm

Reassuring

Marked

> 25 bpm

Uncertain

Sinusoidal

Smooth wave

Ominous

🌊 PERIODIC & EPISODIC PATTERNS

AccelerationReassuring

Shape: abrupt rise, ≥15 bpm for ≥15 sec. Not tied to contractions.
Likely cause: fetal movement or stimulation — a sign of an active, well-oxygenated fetus.

Early DecelerationBenign

Timing: mirrors the contraction exactly — nadir lines up with the peak.
Likely cause: fetal head compression as it descends — a normal, expected finding in active labor.

Variable DecelerationDepends

Shape: abrupt, jagged drop — variable in timing and shape from one to the next.
Likely cause: umbilical cord compression — common, but repeated deep or slow-to-recover ones need closer attention.

Late DecelerationConcerning

Timing: gradual dip that lags behind the contraction — nadir occurs after the peak.
Likely cause: uteroplacental insufficiency — the placenta struggling to keep up with contractions; repetitive late decelerations need prompt action.

Prolonged DecelerationConcerning

Duration: lasts > 3 minutes (bradycardia if > 10 minutes) — spans multiple contractions rather than resolving with one.
Likely cause: often an acute event — cord prolapse, uterine rupture, abruption, hyperstimulation, or maternal hypotension. Needs immediate assessment every time.

Timing tells the story: early mirrors the contraction, late lags behind it, and variable doesn't follow any consistent pattern at all.

〰️ UTERINE CONTRACTIONS — THE REFERENCE SIGNAL

The orange trace in every tile above is the tocograph — contractions are the timeline that gives decelerations their meaning

Normal

3–5 in 10 min, 45–80 sec each

Expected

Tachysystole

> 5 in 10 min

Reduce/stop stimulant

Tachysystole most often occurs during induction or augmentation with oxytocin or prostaglandins — see our companion Induction & Augmentation of Labor guide for how to respond.

🗓️ THESE PATTERNS APPLY ANTENATALLY TOO

The non-stress test (NST) uses the same baseline, variability, and acceleration features — but outside labor, and without contractions to reference

Reactive NST: two or more accelerations within a 20-minute window — reassuring

Non-reactive NST: fails to meet that criterion after an extended period — needs further evaluation (e.g., vibroacoustic stimulation, biophysical profile, or Doppler studies)

⚠️ SINUSOIDAL PATTERN — RARE BUT OMINOUS

A smooth, regular, sine-wave-like oscillation — quite different from the irregular jaggedness of normal variability

Classically associated with severe fetal anaemia — including from Rh isoimmunization, fetomaternal haemorrhage, or twin anaemia-polycythaemia sequence

Rare, but treat as an abnormal pattern requiring urgent senior review every time it's seen

Memory Aid

VEAL CHOP

A classic way to link each periodic pattern to its likely cause — useful for a quick mental check while reading a trace.

V

Variable decelerations → Cord compression

E

Early decelerations → Head compression

A

Accelerations → Okay — reassuring fetal status

L

Late decelerations → Placental insufficiency

Reminder: a mnemonic is a starting point for recall, not a substitute for systematic interpretation — always assess the whole trace in clinical context.

Swaraj Hospital & Research Institute · Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Bolangir, Odisha

Clinician-facing visual reference for structured teaching; waveforms are illustrative approximations for pattern recognition, not tracings from real cases. Classification and escalation follow local labour ward protocol.

Induction & Augmentation of Labor

SWARAJ HOSPITAL & RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BOLANGIR, ODISHA  •  OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY CLINICAL PATHWAY SERIES

Clinician Reference Infographic

Induction & Augmentation of Labor — A Practical Guide

Induction means artificially starting labor before it begins on its own. Augmentation means strengthening contractions in a labor that has already started spontaneously but is progressing too slowly — usually because uterine activity is inadequate. The methods overlap heavily, but the decision to start always comes down to the same question: does continuing the pregnancy carry more risk than delivering it?

🎯 AT A GLANCE — INDICATIONS & READINESS

Common Indications for Induction

Post-term pregnancy (≥41 weeks), term PROM, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Diabetes in pregnancy at term, fetal growth restriction, oligohydramnios

Intrauterine fetal death, chorioamnionitis, or a maternal medical condition requiring delivery

Contraindications (Same as for Vaginal Delivery)

Placenta or vasa praevia, transverse lie, cord presentation, prior classical caesarean or major uterine surgery

GREEN: favorable cervix (Bishop ≥8), no contraindications — induction expected to behave much like spontaneous labor

AMBER: unfavorable cervix (Bishop <6) — needs cervical ripening first; expect a longer process

RED: contraindication present, or high-risk factors (e.g., previous caesarean, grand multiparity) — senior-led decision required

📋 THE BISHOP SCORE — IS THE CERVIX READY?

Scores five features of the cervix and fetal station — dilatation, effacement, station, consistency, and position — out of a maximum of 13

Score ≥ 8 — Favorable: induction success rates approach those of spontaneous labor

Score < 6 — Unfavorable: cervical ripening is needed before oxytocin/amniotomy is likely to work

🌱 CERVICAL RIPENING (UNFAVORABLE CERVIX)

Pharmacological

Vaginal or oral misoprostol (PGE1)

Dinoprostone (PGE2) gel or vaginal pessary

Mechanical

Foley catheter balloon — a useful option where prostaglandins are unavailable or relatively contraindicated (e.g., prior caesarean)

Membrane sweep — a simple bedside method from around 39–40 weeks; can reduce the need for formal induction

🛠️ INDUCTION & AUGMENTATION METHODS

Amniotomy (ARM) — artificial rupture of membranes, usually once the cervix is favorable

Oxytocin infusion — titrated carefully with continuous monitoring of contractions and fetal heart rate

ARM + oxytocin together is the standard combination once the cervix is favorable, and the usual approach for augmenting a slow labor

Augmentation follows the same principles as induction once labor has started — the target is adequate contractions, not maximal ones.

🚨 STOP OR REASSESS — WARNING SIGNS

Uterine tachysystole — more than 5 contractions in 10 minutes

Non-reassuring fetal heart rate pattern on CTG

Signs of scar rupture in a prior caesarean — severe pain, scar tenderness, sudden fetal distress, maternal tachycardia

Cord prolapse after amniotomy, especially with a high presenting part

Failure to progress despite adequate contractions — reassess for cephalopelvic disproportion

💧 OXYTOCIN — PRACTICAL POINTS

1

Start low and titrate slowly, increasing at fixed intervals per protocol

2

Aim for 3–5 contractions in 10 minutes, each lasting 40–60 seconds

3

Continuous CTG monitoring is mandatory throughout the infusion

4

Reduce or stop immediately if hyperstimulation or fetal distress occurs

Previous caesarean scar: oxytocin use needs a senior-led decision and heightened vigilance for signs of scar rupture — the risk is real, even if low.

Previous Caesarean (VBAC)

Induction raises uterine rupture risk versus spontaneous labor

Senior-led decision, continuous monitoring throughout

PROM at Term

Induction reduces infection risk versus prolonged expectant care

A defined period of awaiting spontaneous labor is also reasonable per protocol

Post-Term Pregnancy

Induction from ≥41 weeks reduces perinatal risk

Routinely offered rather than reserved for complications

Failed Induction

No adequate labor despite ripening and oxytocin

Reassess the mode of delivery — often ends in caesarean

Watch For

Uterine Tachysystole

>5

CONTRACTIONS
PER 10 MINUTES

Excessive uterine activity from oxytocin or prostaglandins can reduce placental blood flow and cause fetal distress — continuous monitoring during induction and augmentation exists specifically to catch this early.

Reduce or stop the oxytocin infusion immediately if tachysystole occurs

Consider tocolysis (e.g., terbutaline) if hyperstimulation persists with fetal distress

Reposition the mother to left lateral, give oxygen and IV fluids as needed

Resume oxytocin at a lower rate only once contractions and fetal heart rate have normalized, per protocol

Reminder: the goal of augmentation is adequate contractions, not maximal ones — more oxytocin is not automatically better.

Swaraj Hospital & Research Institute · Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Bolangir, Odisha

Clinician-facing summary for structured teaching and triage; drug doses, titration protocols, and thresholds vary by institution — follow local labour ward guidelines.

CORD PROLAPSE

SWARAJ HOSPITAL & RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BOLANGIR, ODISHA  •  OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY CLINICAL PATHWAY SERIES

Clinician Reference Infographic

Umbilical Cord Prolapse — Recognition & Emergency Management

Cord prolapse occurs when the umbilical cord descends through the cervix alongside or ahead of the presenting part after the membranes have ruptured. The presenting part then compresses the cord against the pelvis, cutting off fetal oxygenation. This is a true obstetric emergency — outcome depends on how quickly compression is relieved and the baby delivered, not on any single clever manoeuvre.

🎗️ AT A GLANCE — WHO'S AT RISK

Risk Drivers

Malpresentation — breech, transverse, or oblique lie; the presenting part doesn't fill the pelvis well

Polyhydramnios — a sudden gush of fluid at membrane rupture can sweep the cord down

Prematurity, multiparity, multiple pregnancy (especially the second twin), long cord

High, unengaged presenting part at the time membranes rupture — spontaneous or artificial

GREEN: cephalic, well-engaged presenting part, membranes intact — low baseline risk

AMBER: risk factors present (malpresentation, polyhydramnios, prematurity, high head) with membranes still intact — avoid artificial rupture of membranes unless the head is well applied

RED: membranes ruptured with a high presenting part and risk factors, or cord felt/seen on examination — emergency

🔎 RECOGNITION

A sudden fetal heart rate abnormality — bradycardia or new variable decelerations — immediately after membranes rupture is cord prolapse until proven otherwise

Overt prolapse: cord visible at, or protruding from, the introitus

Occult prolapse: cord lies alongside the presenting part — not visible, but may be felt as a pulsatile structure on vaginal examination

Any sudden fetal heart rate change after rupture of membranes should prompt an immediate vaginal examination to feel for cord.

🚨 THIS IS AN EMERGENCY — CALL FOR HELP NOW

Cord visible at the introitus, or felt below the presenting part on exam

Sudden fetal bradycardia or severe variable decelerations after ROM

Alert senior obstetrician, anaesthetist, neonatal team, and theatre simultaneously

Do not wait to "confirm" further — begin emergency actions immediately

🛠️ IMMEDIATE ACTIONS — IN THIS ORDER

1

Call for help — obstetrician, anaesthetist, neonatal team, theatre, all at once

2

Stop pushing; avoid handling the cord — if it's outside the vagina, keep it warm and moist, don't force it back

3

Relieve compression — a hand in the vagina elevates the presenting part, kept there until delivery

4

Reposition the mother — knee-chest or exaggerated Sims' / left-lateral with head-down tilt

5

Consider filling the bladder (500–700 mL saline via Foley) to help elevate the presenting part, per protocol

6

Continuous fetal monitoring while moving directly to expedite delivery

🗓️ DELIVERY PLANNING

Category 1 emergency caesarean is the usual mode of delivery, unless vaginal birth is safe and imminent

Immediate vaginal delivery (e.g., low forceps or vacuum for a fully dilated cephalic presentation) may be appropriate if delivery is genuinely imminent and safe

Tocolysis may be considered to reduce contraction-related compression while preparing for theatre, per local protocol

Continue manual elevation of the presenting part en route to theatre and during preparation — do not stop to reassess

Do not delay for a repeat fetal heart check once the decision for delivery is made — continue decompression measures and proceed.

Overt Prolapse

Cord passes beyond the presenting part — visible or protruding

Usually obvious; occurs after membrane rupture

Occult Prolapse

Cord lies alongside, not beyond, the presenting part

May only be suspected from fetal heart changes

Cord Presentation

Cord lies below the presenting part with membranes still intact

Avoid artificial rupture of membranes if suspected on scan/exam

Outside Hospital / In Transit

Same principles apply — manual elevation, positioning, urgent transfer

Call ahead so the receiving team is ready on arrival

Obstetric Emergency

Time Is Everything

30

MINUTES
TYPICAL DECISION-TO-DELIVERY TARGET

Fetal outcome tracks closely with the duration and severity of cord compression — every minute of continuous elevation and swift preparation genuinely counts. Faster is better whenever it's safely achievable.

Keep manual elevation continuous until the baby is delivered — do not remove the hand to "check" progress

Move directly to theatre; prepare anaesthetic and neonatal teams before arrival, not after

Document timings clearly afterward — decision time, delivery time, cord gases, Apgar scores

Debrief the team — cord prolapse drills are one of the highest-yield obstetric emergency simulations

Reminder: even if cord pulsations are felt and reassuring, this does not mean it is safe to wait — continue elevation and proceed to expedite delivery regardless.

Swaraj Hospital & Research Institute · Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Bolangir, Odisha

Clinician-facing summary for structured teaching and emergency drills; exact techniques and timing targets vary by protocol — follow local institutional guidelines.