How a vacuum extraction is done

When it comes to delivery sometimes assistance is needed. That is why; it is called an assisted delivery. An assisted delivery means the doctor who is doing the delivery needs some kind of an instrument so that they can take out the baby from the birth canal. Now, this kind of delivery mainly happens when the second stage of labour does not progress.

When one is going through pushing and contractions then the cervix gets dilated and the baby’s head gets descended. Then a kind of vacuum extraction can be needed if the baby’s heart beat indicates that it is facing a problem in coming out. This is known as the vacuum delivery baby.

Here the doctor mainly chooses a vacuum device instead of a forceps due to their personal preferences. Though none of them are used until and unless they are very much necessary.

In the past few years, the use of these 2 things has reduced a lot because the caesarean section during the time of the delivery of a baby has become more common. There was a time when forceps was the only option to extract a baby when they delivery used to get stalled. But later the sterile surgical technique and the use of anaesthesia process came to the scene. Vacuum extraction only came to scene at the 1950’s.

Now the thing is, how this vacuum extraction is done? Well, when an assisted birth is needed a doctor always discuss the situation with the mother first. If the woman has not been given the epidural yet, then they might need some anaesthesia. One might also need some episiotomy done for this.

In case of a vacuum birth extraction, the health provider will definitely try to reach the birth canal and then place a very small suction cup device on top of the baby’s head. This device is again linked to the small hand pump which produced some vacuum in the cup which is again attached to the scalp. By doing this, the doctor can put some traction on the baby while the mother keeps pushing. When the baby’s head appears the suction is then released and the cup is removed.

But again, if this vacuum extraction process does not work, then the pregnant woman will be prepared for a caesarean section.

But this extraction process also involves some risks. The major one among them is that the baby might get wounded to the scalp or there can be some temporary swelling in the place where the suction cup was attached. There has been no such record of severe scalp injury in this traction process though. The other risk that can happen in a vacuum cup delivery is the need for the tear of the vagina occurring. The mother can go through some short term pain after the delivery and they might face some difficulty while urinating or emptying the bladder. There can also be some infection or bleeding due to this.

But in general this is a very safe process to apply.