Forces Involved with Labor and Delivery—A Biomechanical Perspective

Childbirth is a primarily biomechanical process of physiology, and one that engineers have recently begun to address in a broader fashion. Computational models are being developed to address the biomechanical effects of parturition on both maternal and fetal tissues. Experimental research is being conducted to understand how maternal tissues adapt to intrauterine forces near the onset of labor. All of this research requires an understanding of the forces that are developed through maternal efforts—both uterine contractions and semi-voluntary pushing—and that can be applied by the clinician to assist with the delivery. This work reviews the current state of knowledge regarding forces of labor and delivery, with a focus on macro-level biomechanics.