What is shoulder dystocia? The word dystocia comes from the Greek word "dys," meaning difficult, and "tokos," meaning childbirth. Shoulder dystocia is a delivery complication when the baby's shoulder (one or both) is stuck behind the mother's pubic bone. This can happen during the pushing phase of labor. There are no signs and no way to prevent the condition from developing. If left untreated, shoulder dystocia can lead to severe complications for the mother and the baby. There are two types of shoulder dystocia: 1. Spontaneous : This type of shoulder dystocia can happen without any known cause. 2. Predicted or provoked : Predicted or provoked shoulder dystocia happens when there are known risk factors present before labor begins. These risk factors include obesity, short stature, a large baby, and diabetes. Signs and Symptoms of Shoulder Dystocia The main symptom of shoulder dystocia is when the baby's head has been delivered, but one or both should...