These procedures are only applied if a vaginal delivery has proven to still be safe to the woman and the baby, based on their vital signs. Assisted vaginal delivery is usually only used in the latent phase. Delivery during the active phase is usually associated with more complications for the woman. One approach to assisted vaginal delivery is the use of forceps. The forceps doctors use resemble two large salad spoons and are inserted into the cervix, around the babys head and help to guide it out of the birth canal. The other option is the use of vacuum extraction. Vacuums used have a cup on the end and are inserted into the cervix. The cup attaches to the fetuss head by suction and aids in guiding delivery. The choice between forceps and vacuum extraction is usually made by the doctor based on preference. It is important that these methods are used properly, or else they can cause severe birth injuries to the baby that may be permanent. Caesarean sections
Caesarean sections, also referred to as C-sections, are usually quick solutions to the issue of failure to progress. Often, C-sections are the best options to avoid harming the fetus or the woman, especially if labor proves to be life-threatening. One third of C-sections occur as a result of prolonged labor. C-sections are usually a necessary measure in prolonged labor to avoid serious birth complications. If the mother reaches the active phase of prolonged labor, a C-section is the safest solution.
Two types of blood tests are used to confirm the presence of a hormone deficiency: basal levels, where blood samples are taken–usually in the morning–without any form of stimulation, and dynamic tests, where blood tests are taken after the injection of a stimulating substance. Measurement of ACTH and growth hormone usually requires dynamic testing, whereas the other hormones (LH/FSH, prolactin, TSH) can typically be tested with basal levels. There is no adequate direct test for ADH levels, but ADH deficiency can be confirmed indirectly; oxytocin levels are not routinely measured.Generally, the finding of a combination of a low pituitary hormone together with a low hormone from the effector gland is indicative of hypopituitarism. Occasionally, the pituitary hormone may be normal but the effector gland hormone decreased; in this case, the pituitary is not responding appropriately to effector hormone changes, and the combination of findings is still suggestive of hypopituitarism. Basal tests
Levels of LH/FSH may be suppressed by a raised prolactin level, and are therefore not interpretable unless prolactin is low or normal. In men, the combination of low LH and FSH in combination with a low testosterone confirms LH/FSH deficiency; a high testosterone would indicate a  source elsewhere in the body (such as a testosterone-secreting tumor). In women, the diagnosis of LH/FSH deficiency depends on whether the woman has been through the menopause.