Incidence and significance of the unengaged fetal head in nulliparas in early labor.
Our clinical experience contradicts the traditional view that in the great majority of nulliparas with cephalic presentation the fetal heat is engaged 1-2 weeks prior to onset of labor. In 75.4% of the 175 cases fetal head was not engaged in early labor. No significant statistical difference between the unengaged-head group and the engaged-head group was determined for incidence of vaginal delivery, cesarean section for cephalopelvic disproportion, midforceps delivery, mean and low Apgar scores, and birth weight. Thus, absence of engagement is not always indicative of pelvic contraction. Incidence of engagement may depend on the ethnic composition of the patient population.
D005260:Female; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D007746:Labor Presentation; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy