Which maneuver is used to deliver the aftercoming head during breech vaginal delivery?

Which maneuver is used to deliver the aftercoming head during breech vaginal delivery?

• A. Pinard maneuver
• B. Lovset maneuver
• C. Mauriceau-Smellie-Veit maneuver
• D. Suprapubic pressure

Answer: (C)

Delivering the aftercoming head in a breech birth requires controlled head flexion and steady guidance to prevent neck injury and ensure the airway can clear. The technique best suited for this is the Mauriceau-Smellie-Veit maneuver. In this approach, the clinician uses both hands inside the vagina to cradle and control the baby's head: one hand supports and flexes the head by locating the occiput and guiding it toward the chest, while the other hand supports and stabilizes the face/mandible to maintain chin-to-chest alignment. With the body delivered breech first, the head is then eased out through the birth canal with gentle, coordinated traction and guidance, keeping the head flexed as it passes. This combination of precise control and sustained flexion makes delivering the aftercoming head safer and more reliable than the other maneuvers.

Delivering the aftercoming head in a breech birth requires controlled head flexion and steady guidance to prevent neck injury and ensure the airway can clear. The technique best suited for this is the Mauriceau-Smellie-Veit maneuver. In this approach, the clinician uses both hands inside the vagina to cradle and control the baby's head: one hand supports and flexes the head by locating the occiput and guiding it toward the chest, while the other hand supports and stabilizes the face/mandible to maintain chin-to-chest alignment. With the body delivered breech first, the head is then eased out through the birth canal with gentle, coordinated traction and guidance, keeping the head flexed as it passes. This combination of precise control and sustained flexion makes delivering the aftercoming head safer and more reliable than the other maneuvers.