Shoulder dystocia: prevention and treatment.

Although shoulder dystocia is an infrequent event it has assumed a position of great clinical importance because of our litigious environment. Many cases are preventable by the proper identification of risk factors, especially glucose intolerance, macrosomia, obesity, and postdate pregnancies. The severity of the problem can be rapidly graded or determined by the response to a systematic treatment plan; such a plan is outlined.