Creating education programs about reproduction and increasing access to reproductive services such as contraception and family planning in developing areas can also reduce the prevalence of obstructed labor. Treatment
Before considering surgical options, changing the posture of the mother during labor can help to progress labor. The treatment of obstructed labour may require cesarean section or vacuum extraction with possible surgical opening of the symphysis pubis. Caesarean section is an invasive method but is often the only method that will save the lives of both the mother and the infant. Symphysiotomy is the surgical opening of the symphysis pubis. This procedure can be completed more rapidly than Caesarean sections and does not require anesthesia, making it a more accessible option in places with less advanced medical technology. This procedure also leaves no scars on the uterus which makes further pregnancies and births safer for the mother. Another important factor in treating obstructed labor is monitoring the energy and hydration of the mother. Contractions of the uterus require energy, so the longer the mother is in labor the more energy she expends. When the mother is depleted of energy, the contractions become weaker and labor will become increasingly longer. Antibiotics are also an important treatment as infection is a possible result of obstructed labor. Prognosis
If cesarean section is obtained in a timely manner, prognosis is good. Prolonged obstructed labour can lead to stillbirth, obstetric fistula, and maternal death. Fetal death can be caused by asphyxia. Obstructed labor is the leading cause of uterine rupture worldwide.
Other primates also have a wider and straighter birth canal that allows a fetus to pass through more effectively. Modern human’s shorter upper extremities and evolution of bipedal locomotion may have placed a premium on assistance during labor. For this reason, researchers argue that assisted labor may have evolved with bipedalism. Obstructed labor has been documented as a complication of childbirth since the field of obstetrics originated. For over 1,000 years obstetricians have had to forcibly remove obstructed labor fetuses to prevent the death of the mother.Prior to the existence of the cesarean section, fetuses that were obstructed had a low survival rate. Even in the 21st century, if obstructed labor is left untreated, it could result in mother and infant death. Although surgical removal of the fetus is the preferred method of managing obstructed labor, manual removal using medical tools is also common.Obstructed labor is unique to humans compared to other primates. The evolution of humans to become obligate bipedal and increase in brain size create the problems associated with obstructed labor. In order for bipedal locomotion to be possible, many changes had to occur to the skeletal structure of humans, especially in the pelvis. Both the shape and orientation of the pelvis changed. Other primates have straighter and wider pelvises compared to humans. A narrow pelvis is better for bipedal locomotion but makes childbirth more difficult. The pelvis is sexually dimorphic, with females having a wider pelvis to be better suited for childbirth.