Clinical and subclinical characteristics of parturients undergoing cesarean section due to fetal head non-engagement at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 218 parturients who underwent cesarean section for fetal head non-engagement at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The maternal age ranged from 19 to 39 years old, with the 25 – 29 age group as the most common (51.4%). The majority of patients had spontaneous pregnancies (91.3%) and were primigravidas (91.3%). Upon admission, 60.1% were not yet in labor. Normal amniotic fluid volume was observed in 87.6% of cases, with oligohydramnios in 4.1% and polyhydramnios in 8.3%. A normal fetal heart rate was recorded in 66.5% of cases, while transient early decelerations (DIP I) were noted in 33.5%. The most common fetal position was right occiput posterior (ROP) at 40.4%, followed by left occiput anterior (LOA) at 21.6% and left occiput transverse (LOT) at 20.2%. Cesarean sections for fetal head non-engagement are predominantly concentrated in the primary childbearing age group (25 – 34 years old) and among primigravida women. Associated factors include amniotic fluid status, caput succedaneum, and fetal position, with right occiput posterior (ROP) being a common unfavorable presentation.