While caring for a client in labor the nurse determines that the baby's head has internally rotated. The client's spouse asks about other positional changes that will occur during the labor and birth. How should the nurse describe the rest of the cardinal movements for a baby in a vertex presentation?
A) Expulsion, external rotation, and restitution
B) Restitution, flexion, external rotation, and expulsion
C) Extension, restitution, external rotation, and expulsion
D) Flexion, extension, restitution, external rotation, and expulsion

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cardinal movements of labor in a vertex presentation include engagement, descent, flexion, internal rotation, extension, restitution (head returns to its neutral position after the shoulders rotate to align with the pelvic outlet), external rotation (shoulders align with the pelvic outlet, and the head realigns with the shoulders), and finally expulsion (delivery of the rest of the body). The correct sequence after internal rotation is extension (as the head passes under the pubic symphysis), restitution, external rotation, and expulsion.

While Caring for a Client in Labor the Nurse Determines