Review of Literature
Acker, Sachs, and Friedman (1985) did a retrospective chart review of vaginal deliveries from January 1975 through December 1982 in the general obstetrical population of Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. The purpose of this study was to help clinicians avoid or anticipate shoulder dystocia by assessing their laboring risks. They separated the diabetic gravidas from the non diabetic gravidas and excluded fetuses under 2500gm and cesarean deliveries, leaving 144 in the first group and 14,571 in the second group. The diabetic group had 10.4% (15) shoulder dystocias and the non diabetic group had 2% ( 294) . The diagnosis of shoulder dystocia was based on the judgement of the birth attendant. The gestational age groups were 42 weeks, while the birth weights were in 500gm increments. They further stratified the groups by abnormalities of labor that included normal, prolonged latent phase, protraction disorders, arrests and delivery methods. The statistical test used was x 2 analysis with probability values < 0.5 being significant.