Accurate assessment of the rapid changing status of the mother and her fetus is essential if the nursing and the medical care plan are to meet their needs.

Although most labors and deliveries are routine, occasionally there may be a deviation from the norm. This lesson contains information that will help you in caring for a patient who has a special situation in labor and delivery.

The special situations in labor and delivery are categorized as preterm labor, postterm labor, induction of labor, dystocia of labor, oversized babies, amniotic fluid embolism, multiple pregnancies, cesarean section, episiotomies, and forceps delivery.