Topics Information

Labor and Delivery Tutorial

Unit 1: Maternal Physiologic Response to Labor

This unit covers maternal physiologic responses of various body systems in response to labor and delivery. The systems covered include:

Reproductive, including:

Cervical effacement and dilation
Assessment of uterine activity
True labor vs. false labor
Premature labor

Cardiovascular, including:

Blood pressure
Blood volume
Cardiac output
Heart rate

Respiratory, including:

Changes in blood gases;
respiratory rate and volume
Hyperventilation.

Gastrointestinal
Renal

Unit 2: The Utero-Placental-Fetal Relationship

Unit 2 covers the relationship among the uterus, placenta, and fetus. It covers the function of the placenta and fetal circulation.

Unit 3: Stages of Labor

This unit covers the four stages of labor. Video clips are used throughout for a real look at client physical and emotional responses to labor. The birth process is then covered, with a discussion of the pelvis, passenger, and power. The cardinal movements of labor are explained. Assisted delivery including forceps, vacuum, and episiotomy as well as planned and emergency cesarean birth are covered.

The unit concludes with a section on pain management including:

Sources of pain
Options for pain management:

Non-pharmacologic approache
Systemic analgesi
Regional routes: spinal, epidural, combination technique
Drugs used for analgesia and anesthesia

Post dural puncture headache

Video clips are used to demonstrate many of the concepts throughout the unit.

Unit 4: Assessment of Fetal Response to Labor

The last tutorial unit covers assessment of the fetal response to labor. Both intermittent and continuous monitoring is explained. Fetal monitoring is discussed with an explanation of different types of patterns shown on the strips.

Unit 5: Self Test

This unit consists of a test bank of 23 items. The test bank questions were designed to address all levels of difficulty. Knowledge and comprehension questions are used to ensure the student has mastered the necessary foundation. Application and analysis questions are used to test the student's ability to apply the information to client situations.