Obstetrical Forceps

Obstetrical forceps were invented in the 1600s to grasp the head of a baby in the birth canal and aid a difficult delivery. Before forceps, difficult labors very often ended in stillbirth and maternal death. The inventors of the forceps, the Chamberlen family of barber surgeons, kept their tool hidden from others. They brought the forceps into a home in a huge, ornate box, leading onlookers to believe it was an enormous device. Only after the mother was blindfolded would they take out and use the instrument. Once the secret of the Chamberlen tool emerged, physicians across Europe began to use it. However, by the early 1700s there was still no set of standards for construction or a preferred model type. William Smellie (1697–1763), a well-regarded British obstetrician, developed the wood and steel forceps shown here. Unlike the Chamberlens, Smellie shared his knowledge and spoke and published widely on the topic of forceps. He used open blades and a design that enabled the blades to be separated, inserted one at a time, and then, once in position, locked easily. The blades of his forceps were longer and had a more accurate pelvic curve, resulting in less trauma to the mother. These wooden-handled forceps were manufactured before doctors understood how infection was transmitted. The handles cannot be sterilized to remove bacteria, and the physician may not have washed the tool off between patients. Such practices could easily spread the bacteria that cause puerperal fever (childbed fever). While forceps were an important medical advancement, they also carried with them risks to the baby and the mother. Infants could suffer spinal cord injury, head trauma, and bone fractures that could lead to disfigurement and death. The mother could experience severe cuts, pelvic organ prolapse, or incontinence. Today, forceps are used in about 1% of vaginal deliveries