A textbook of obstetrics . strained, and directed by pressure, partlythrough the perineum, partly directly upon the head itself Presuming that these precautions have been successful, thatthe perineum has been safely retracted over the childs head,and that the head is born, the face at first appears white, but IO LABOR AND THE PUERPERIUM. almost immediately turns quite purple and looks as if the childmust be choking to death. It is, as a rule, however, in no seri-ous danger. The head being the only part of the fetal body freefrom pressure the blood is determined to it, and is prevented fromretu
A textbook of obstetrics . strained, and directed by pressure, partlythrough the perineum, partly directly upon the head itself Presuming that these precautions have been successful, thatthe perineum has been safely retracted over the childs head,and that the head is born, the face at first appears white, but IO LABOR AND THE PUERPERIUM. almost immediately turns quite purple and looks as if the childmust be choking to death. It is, as a rule, however, in no seri-ous danger. The head being the only part of the fetal body freefrom pressure the blood is determined to it, and is prevented fromreturning freely by the pressure about the neck, thus givingthe childs head, as it protrudes from the vagina, a most alarm-ing appearance of deep asphyxia. There is, however, in somecases, a more serious element in the asphyxiated look of thechild ; in one out of four labors the cord is found coiled abouttlie childs neck, usually only once, and that lightly, but occa-sional lv many times, nine coils having been recorded in one. **? ig. 186. — Retarding the escape of tin- head and pushing it away from theperineum. case, and so tightly occasionally as to completely strangulate theinfant, not by pressure upon the neck, but upon the cord. Thisanomaly occurring so frequently, and having such serious results,must always be borne in mind, and as soon as the head is bornand the neck becomes accessible the attendant must atonce- ascertain whether the cord encircles it or not, by sweepinga forefinger between the childs neck and the maternal the cord is found in this situation, it should be gentlypulled upon, and whichever portion yields should be drawn out,so enlarging the loop that it may be slipped over the head ;or, if that is impossible, making the loop at least Large enough LABOR. 311 to allow the shoulders to pass through ; or if that, again, is not feasible, if the cord so firmly constricts the childs neck that theloop or loops can not be loosened, it may be ha
Size: 1585px × 1576px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidtex, booksubjectobstetrics
