Lithotomy position
From Free net encyclopedia
The Lithotomy position is the position of lying on the back with knees bent and elevated above the hips with the thighs apart. The position is often used for women to give birth in, also for anal and vaginal examinations, as well as anal, rectal, and vaginal surgery. It is also common for anal or vaginal sex.
As a birth position, it has been popular in the past with obstetricians as it allows a good view of the birth process. However, the position is not conducive to a smooth labor as it constricts the birth canal, puts pressure on the coccyx, prevents the fetal ejection reflex from occurring and does not allow the woman to move (which reduces the pain of labour). Few birth centres or labour wards in Western countries use the lithotomy position for active labour. The lithotomy position is commonly used for active labor in the United States.
The origin of the position, and hence the name, was in the earliest method of lithotomy, the surgical removal of a bladder stone, in which an incision was made in the perineum. The patient was placed in this posture to afford the surgeon access.
External link
- Lithotomy Position. Information and research on the use of the Lithotomy Position in Childbirth