Correct Response: D

You should explain that fetal station is the level of the fetus’ presenting part in relationship to the mother’s ischial spines. Fetal station is measured in terms of the number of centimeters above or below the mother’s ischial spines. Fetal station is -1 to -5 when the fetus is from 1 to 5 centimeters above the ischial spines and it is from +1 to +5 when the fetus is from 1 to 5 centimeters below the level of the maternal ischial spines.

Fetal lie is defined as the relationship of the fetus’s spine to the mother’s spine. Fetal lie can a longitudinal, transverse or oblique life. Longitudinal lie, the most common and normal lie, occurs when the fetus’ spine is aligned with the mother’s spine in an up and down manner; a transverse lie occurs when the fetus’ spine is at a right ninety degree angle with the maternal spine; and, lastly, an oblique lie occurs when the fetus’ spine is diagonal to the mother’s spine.

Fetal presentation is defined by where the fetus’ presenting part is within the birth canal during labor. The possible fetal presentations are the cephalic presentation, the cephalic vertex presentation, the cephalic sinciput presentation, the cephalic face presentation, the cephalic brow presentation, the breech presentation, the complete breech presentation, the frank breech presentation, the shoulder breech presentation, and the footling presentation.

Fetal attitude is the positioning of the fetus’s body parts in relationship to each other. The normal attitude is general flexion in the “fetal position”. All attitudes, other than the normal attitude, can lead to a more intense and prolonged labor.

Fetal position is the relationship of the fetus’ presenting part to the anterior, posterior, right or left side of the mother’s pelvis.