What movement does the fetal head perform to pass through the pelvic diameters?

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Multiple Choice

What movement does the fetal head perform to pass through the pelvic diameters?

Explanation:
The fetus must rotate to fit through the curved pelvic passage. As the head descends, it internally rotates so the occiput aligns with the pelvis’s anteroposterior diameter, typically rotating about 45 degrees. This alignment allows the widest part of the head to pass through the pelvic brim and into the lower birth canal. Extension happens later as the head moves under the pubic arch, and restitution and external rotation occur after the head is delivered to align with the shoulders. So, the movement that enables passage through the pelvic diameters is internal rotation.

The fetus must rotate to fit through the curved pelvic passage. As the head descends, it internally rotates so the occiput aligns with the pelvis’s anteroposterior diameter, typically rotating about 45 degrees. This alignment allows the widest part of the head to pass through the pelvic brim and into the lower birth canal. Extension happens later as the head moves under the pubic arch, and restitution and external rotation occur after the head is delivered to align with the shoulders. So, the movement that enables passage through the pelvic diameters is internal rotation.

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