What it means
Forceps look like tweezers or tongs. In surgery, tissue forceps (some with teeth, some smooth) hold tissue, and dressing forceps handle sterile gauze. Obstetric forceps are two curved blades placed around a baby's head to help guide it out during a difficult vaginal birth. The word is both singular and plural.
For the nurse
After a forceps-assisted birth, check the newborn's head and face for bruising or marks, and check the mother for perineal tears and bleeding.
At a glance
| Spanish | fórceps, pinzas |
|---|