Labor in Short Women

Abstract

Among the 1570 childbirths in a single institution during 1964, 119 (7.6%) of the mothers were shorter than 5 ft. There was no greater incidence of antepartum complications and of prematurity among the latter, group. Only twothirds of the short gravidas delivered spontaneously; the use of forceps to aid delivery doubled, and the cesarean section rate trebled, among these women.