COMPONENTS OF

LABOR

P S IN LA B O R & D ELIV ERY

1. PASSAGEWAY

Womans pelvis and the birth canal

2. PASSENGER
the fetus and placenta

3. POWERS OF LABOR
force of uterine contractions

4. POSITION OF THE MOTHER

5. PSYCHE/PSYCHOLOGIC RESPONSE of the

mother
preserved so that afterward, labor can be viewed as a
positive experience

1. PA SSA G EW AY (B IRTH
C A N A L) TH E P ELV IS

FU N CTIO N S O F FEM ALE PELVIS

allows movement of the body, especially

walking and running.

permits the person to sit and kneel.
adapted for child bearing, and because of
its increased width and rounded brim
women are less speedy than men.

Pelvic bones
four pelvic

bones
Two
innominate
( nameless)
or hip
bones
One sacrum
One coccyx

Innominate
bones:
1. Ilium
2. Ischium
3. Pubis

ILIUM
the upper

flattened part of
the hip bone
larger flared out
part.
When the hand is
placed on the hip it
rests on the iliac
crest, which is the
upper border.

ISCHIUM
thick lower part.
has a large
prominence known as
the ischium
tuberosity, on which
the body rests when
sitting.
Behind and a little
above the tuberosity
is an inward
projection, the
ischial spine.
in labour the station
of the fetal head is

PUBIS
the anterior or front part

of the hip bone

has a body and two oar

like projections, the
superior ramus and the
inferior ramus

The two pubic bones

meet at the symphysis

pubis and the two
inferior rami from the
pubic arch, merging into
a similar ramus and the
ischium.
The space enclosed by

the body of the pubic

bone, the rami and the
ischium is called the

SACRUM

a wedge shaped bone

consisting of five fused
vertebrae

The upper border of the

first sacral vertebra juts

forward and is known as
the sacral promontory
The anterior surface of

the sacrum is concave

and is referred to as the
hollow of sacrum.
Laterally the sacrum
extends into a wing or
ala.

COCCYX:
a vestigial tail.
A small bone
consists of four
fused vertebra
forming a small
triangular bone.
During labor it
moves backward,
having more
space for the
delivery of the

Pelvic joints
There are four
pelvic joints
One symphysis
pubis
Two sacroiliac
joints
One sacrococcygeal joint

SYMPHYSIS
PUBIS

formed at the
junction of the
two pubic bones,
which are united
by a pad of
cartilage.

SACROILIAC
JOINTS
these are the
strongest joints
in the body.
Joins the sacrum
to the ilium and
thus connect the
spine to the
pelvis.

SACRO
COCCYGEAL
JOINT
formed where

the base of the

coccyx
articulate with
the tip of the
sacrum.

PELVIC BONE

Ligam ents of
the Pelvis
a short band oftough,
fl
exible,fi
brous
connective tissue that
connects tw o bones or
cartilages or holds
together a joint.

D IV ISIO N S O F TH E P ELV IS :
FALSE PELVIS

superior half; upppet, larger

but shallow division that
supports the uterus in the
abdominal cavity during
pregnancy

divided by the linea

terminalis into the false
pelvis above this
demarcation and the true
pelvis below it.

the portion above the pelvic

brim

TRUE PELVIS

inferior half; lower, curved,

smaller portion

constitutes the bony

L INEA TERMINALIS

imaginary line that

separates the upper or
false pelvis from the
lower or true pelvis

D IVISIO N S/PLAN ES O F TH E
PELVIS
1.

Pelvic Inlet

Upper portion;first pelvic plane;

entrance to the true pelvis

Bounded by the upper border of

the symphysis pubis,sacral
promontory and linea terminalis
The anteroposterior(AP) points
being the back side of the
symphysis pubis and the sacral
promontory, the smallest AP
diameter called obstetrical
Conjugate

2.

Midpelvis(Pelvic Cavity)

Between the boundaries for the

pelvic inlet and outlet

The smallest diameter of the

midpelvis is the transverse or
intraspinous diameter(between
the 2 ischial spines)

3.

Pelvic Outlet

The plane of the pelvis that

lies at the level of the ischial

PELVIC D IAM ETERS

1.P elvic Inlet or P elvic brim

Pelvic Inlet
1. Palpation of pelvic brim:
The index & middle fingers are moved
along the pelvic brim.

IMPORTANT
PELVIC
MEASUREMENTS
AT 3 PLANES

1.Pelvic Inlet or Pelvic

brim
DIAGONAL CONJUGATE (DC)

Widest anteroposterior diameter

distance from the lower/ inferior

margin of the symphysis pubis
to sacral promontory

measured by internal
examination

ADEQUATE = 12.5 TO 13 CMS

or more