Operative vaginal delivery is simply defined as the use of either vacuum or forceps device to asist mother in effecting vaginal delivery of a fetus. Medicolegal problems, patients desire and the obstetricians position after a possible complication of the vaginal delivery has increased the rate of ceserean section. With the recent enforcements among obstetricians to reduce this rate, operative vaginal delivery will come forward in delivery and labor practice.
In this review, we discussed the indications, contrindications, patient selection, maternal - neonatal risks and the technique of vacuum extraction for a safe expedient vaginal delivery.
Keywords: Vaginal delivery, vacuum, instrumentation