Shoulder dystocia is an unpredictable, unpreventable acute obstetric emergency that
requires intervention to prevent 1% risk of serious long term disability or death in the
neonates1. The relative infrequency of shoulder dystocia and lack of standardized
management means that few obstetricians are truly experienced in the management of this
complication. However, its unpredictability means that all labour ward practitioners must
possess a detailed knowledge of the condition and how to overcome it