Shoulder dystocia means difficulty with delivery of the baby’s shoulder.

Most of these difficulties are resolved easily, but some quite problematic. With these more serious dystocia, well-intentioned but unskilled actions may cause injury to the baby, while skilled interventions can safely resolve the problem. Newborn injuries can include brachial plexus injuries or Erb’s Palsy. At the same time, failure to resolve the obstructed labor will result in fetal death. For these reasons, shoulder dystocia training is important for those involved in childbirth management.