Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
Dystocia
Pronunciation: dis-TOH-see-ah
Difficult or abnormal labor, often requiring medical intervention.
Full Definition
Dystocia refers to abnormal or difficult labor that fails to progress normally through the stages of delivery. This umbrella term encompasses various complications including failure to progress, cephalopelvic disproportion, and abnormal fetal presentation. The condition may affect any stage of labor and often necessitates medical intervention such as assisted delivery or caesarean section. In clinical documentation, editors should ensure that specific types of dystocia are properly identified when mentioned, such as shoulder dystocia or cervical dystocia.
In Context
- "Labor dystocia was diagnosed after arrest of dilation at 6 centimeters for four hours." — Labor progression note
- "Risk factors for dystocia include maternal obesity and fetal macrosomia." — Prenatal counselling document
Also known as
difficult labour
obstructed labour
Contrasted with
eutocia
normal labour
Don't confuse with
dyspnea
dystonia