INVESTIGATING BIOMECHANICS OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND ANGLES OF BLADES OF FORCEPS FOR OPERATIVE DELIVERY BY FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Using of forceps during labors and vaginal delivery accomplished operative deliveries in some circumstances. Forceps may induce fractures in the neonatal skull if excessive force is applied to it during an operative delivery. Therefore, newborns may be affected by forceps. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different curve angles and materials of the blades of forceps on neonates during labor or delivery for gynecologists and obstetricians using a finite element analysis (FEA). Computer models of the forceps, neonate's scalp, and skull, were generated for the FEA. Moreover, the use of different materials (stainless steel and titanium alloy) and three different angles of the blades of forceps (20°, 40°, and 60°) on a newborn's head were simulated in a biomechanical analysis. The results indicate that a larger curve angle of the blades of forceps can decrease the stress and pressure on the neck of the newborn but may lead to rotation toward the posterior side. Moreover, forceps made of a lower Young's modulus material can also reduce the stress and pressure on the neck of the newborn. It is hoped that this research can provide a more reasonable reference for manufacturers to design better medical equipment such as forceps in the future for obstetricians and gynecologists to use to attenuate the stress and pressure on the neck of a newborn.