RT Book, Section A1 Incerpi, Marc H. A2 DeCherney, Alan H. A2 Nathan, Lauren A2 Laufer, Neri A2 Roman, Ashley S. SR Print(0) ID 1159954589 T1 Operative Delivery T2 CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Obstetrics & Gynecology, 12e YR 2019 FD 2019 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071833905 LK obgyn.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1159954589 RD 2024/10/06 AB An operative delivery refers to an obstetric procedure in which active measures are taken to accomplish delivery. Operative delivery can be divided into operative vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery. The last several years have seen a steady decline in the operative delivery with an increase in the cesarean section rate. In addition, vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery has become more common than forceps. Most recent data from births in the United States during 2005 indicate that the vacuum-to-forceps ratio is approximately 4:1. The success and safety of these procedures are based on operator skill, proper timing, and ensuring that proper indications are met while contraindications are avoided. This chapter explains how each procedure is performed, the indications and contraindications to the procedure, the potential complications, and how to minimize complications.