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Aug 23, 2023 · The station of the baby, combined with cervical dilation and effacement measurement, can help you better understand how your body is progressing in labor, and even what body positioning may best assist your baby in their descent through the birth canal.
- Overview
- What is fetal station?
- Determining your baby’s station
- Fetal station chart
- Why is fetal station measured?
- Fetal station and Bishop score
- The takeaway
Fetal station refers to how far a baby’s head has descended into your pelvis. Stations range from -5 to +5, with 0 station meaning the head is aligned with your ischial spines.
As you go through labor, your doctor will use different terms to describe how your baby is progressing through the birth canal. One of these words is your baby’s “station.”
Fetal station describes how far down your baby’s head has descended into your pelvis.
Your doctor determines the fetal station by examining your cervix and locating where the lowest part of your baby is in relation to your pelvis. Your doctor will then assign a number from -5 to +5 to describe where your baby’s presenting part (usually the head) is located.
This figure represents the number of centimeters the baby has descended into the pelvis.
A doctor will usually perform a cervical check to determine how wide your cervix is and how far down your baby has moved.
Your doctor will then assign a number from -5 to +5 to describe where your baby is in relation to the ischial spines. The ischial spines are bony protrusions located in the narrowest part of your pelvis.
During a vaginal exam, your doctor will feel for your baby’s head. If the head is high and not yet engaged in the birth canal, it may float away from their fingers.
At this stage, the fetal station is -5. When your baby’s head is level with the ischial spines, the fetal station is zero. Once your baby’s head fills the vaginal opening, just before birth, the fetal station is +5.
Each change in number usually means your baby has descended another centimeter into your pelvis. However, assigning a number is an estimate.
Usually about two weeks before delivery, your baby will drop into the birth canal. This is called being “engaged.” At this point, your baby is at station 0. This drop into the birth canal is called a lightening.
Fetal station can be important for a doctor as the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not recommend forceps delivery unless a baby has progressed to a certain station.
Doctors measure fetal station on a scale from -5 to +5. Some doctors may use -3 to +3. Generally, the following are landmarks based on fetal station:
Fetal station is important to monitor. It helps doctors evaluate how labor is progressing.
Other measurements your doctor may take into account include cervical dilation, or how much your cervix has enlarged for your baby to pass through, and cervical effacement, or how thin your cervix has become to promote delivery.
Fetal station is one of the components of a Bishop score. Doctors use this scoring system to determine how successful a labor induction is going and the likelihood that you’ll be able to deliver vaginally or need to have a cesarean delivery.
The five components of a Bishop score are:
•Dilation. Measured in centimeters, dilation describes how widened the cervix has become.
•Effacement. Measured in percentage, effacement is a measurement of how thin and elongated the cervix is.
•Station. Station is the measurement of the baby relative to the ischial spines.
•Consistency. Ranging from firm to soft, this describes the consistency of the cervix. The softer the cervix, the closer to delivering the baby.
While fetal station can be imprecise, and measurements can vary from doctor to doctor, it’s an important piece of your doctor’s assessment of how your labor is progressing.
- Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA
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www.parents.com · fetal-station-labor-8627712What To Know About Fetal Station During Labor - Parents
Aug 27, 2024 · Fetal station refers to the position your baby is in within your pelvis in late pregnancy and during labor. Your prenatal care provider might check your baby's...
Nov 13, 2023 · Wondering what baby’s fetal station in labor means? Learn about the different fetal stations and check out our fetal station chart.
As your baby passes through the birth canal, the baby's head will change positions. These changes are needed for your baby to fit and move through your pelvis. These movements of your baby's head are called cardinal movements of labor.
Mar 7, 2016 · Parents, when you ask, “Where’s Baby?” you can also ask, “what pelvic station is the baby?” Your provider may answer with the number of the pelvic station. Minus numbers (+4, +3, or +2) are high. 0 station is in the middle and usually where baby is when you start pushing.
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Sep 21, 2020 · What Is Foetal Station? Foetal station or baby station is a term used to describe how far your baby has descended in your pelvis. The foetal station is determined by establishing the relation between your baby’s head and your sit bones or ischial spine.
