The effect of obstetric forceps placement on the fetal scalp using finite element analysis

Valladolid Garcia, Omar (2025) The effect of obstetric forceps placement on the fetal scalp using finite element analysis. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

A biomechanical model of a fetal head under the forces of compression and traction exerted by the application of obstetric forceps is presented in this dissertation. This model allows the quantitative evaluation of fetal head moulding as a result of the use of this medical instrument.

The use of obstetric forceps in an operative vaginal delivery procedure plays an important role to help extracting the baby from its mother when the efforts of the latter are insufficient or when labour is not progressing as expected. When the instrument is used by qualified obstetricians the rate of success is very high, but when the operator has insufficient training or the delivery is complicated it can lead to maternal or fetal trauma or even neonatal fatalities.

Although moderate fetal moulding is expected when the baby is passing through the birth canal, the incorrect placement of the obstetric forceps can create excessive moulding affecting the fetus health severely.

This research presents a dynamic, non-linear model of the deformation of a complete fetal head being subjected to the forces exerted by obstetric forceps when placed symmetrically and asymmetrically.

The current research considers the geometry of the different parts of the fetal head like the cranial vault, face bones, base bones, fontanelles and sutures. As well as the different material properties each of these parts have. The geometry of a model of the obstetric forceps was created to perform compression and traction on the fetal head.

A Dynamic Finite Element analysis was used to simulate the effect of obstetric forceps on the fetal head, expanding the current research in this field.

The research performed experiments on the compression force and traction at different levels. The first experiment using basic geometric shapes such as curved plates and a sphere as a representation of the forceps blades and fetal head respectively. The second replacing the curved plates for the real obstetric forceps blades model and the sphere for the model of the fetal head. A third experiment considers the rotation of the baby head. These experiments helped to evaluate qualitatively the deformation of the fetal head caused by the obstetric forceps placement.

Experiment results show a realistic contact interaction between the baby head and the obstetric forceps, realistic deformation of anterior and posterior fontanelles caused by the compression exerted by the forceps blades and the difference in deformations between symmetric and asymmetric forceps placements.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Computing Sciences
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	04 Nov 2025 09:43
Last Modified:	04 Nov 2025 09:43
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/100883
DOI:

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