How Do You Spell OCCIPITOPOSTERIOR?

1. Occipitoposterior, which is also commonly referred to as OP position or "sunny-side up" position, is a medical term used to describe the position in which the back (occiput) of the baby's head is positioned towards the posterior or back of the mother's pelvis during childbirth.

   During a typical childbirth, it is most ideal for the baby's head to be in the anterior or front position, with the back of the head facing towards the mother's belly. However, in occipitoposterior position, the baby's back of the head is instead facing towards the mother's spine. This can make the labor process more challenging and potentially lead to a longer and more painful delivery.

   The occipitoposterior position can be identified by the presence of symptoms such as intense lower back pain experienced by the mother during labor, as well as slower progress in the descent of the baby's head through the birth canal. This position may also increase the risk of instrumental or assisted delivery methods, such as forceps or vacuum extraction, due to difficulties in the birthing process.

   Medical professionals may use various techniques and positional changes during labor and delivery to encourage the baby to rotate into a more favorable anterior position for smoother delivery. However, in some cases, the baby may be successfully delivered in the occipitoposterior position without additional interventions.

2. Noting a fetal presentation with occiput of the child directed toward one or the other sacroiliac joint of the mother.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for OCCIPITOPOSTERIOR

The word "occipitoposterior" is derived from Latin. Here is the breakdown:

1. "Occipito-" comes from the Latin word "occiput", which means "the back of the head" or "the occipital bone", referring to the posterior part of the skull.

2. "-posterior" is a suffix in English that originates from Latin and means "located behind" or "toward the back".

Thus, when combined, "occipitoposterior" refers to something located towards the back of the occiput or the posterior part of the head. In medical terminology, it often denotes the position of a baby during childbirth, where the baby's head is facing toward the maternal spine.