The McRoberts maneuver is employed in case of shoulder dystocia

Shoulder dystocia

Shoulder dystocia is a specific case of dystocia whereby after the delivery of the head, the anterior shoulder of the infant cannot pass below the pubic symphysis, or requires significant manipulation to pass below the pubic symphysis. It is diagnosed when the shoulders fail to deliver shortly...

 during childbirth

Childbirth

Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...

 and involves hyperflexing the mother's legs tightly to her abdomen. This widens the pelvis, and flattens the spine in the lower back (lumbar spine). If this maneuver does not succeed, an assistant applies pressure on the lower abdomen (suprapubic pressure), and the delivered head is also gently pulled. The technique is effective in about 42% of cases.

See also

• Woods' screw maneuver
  Woods' screw maneuver
  Woods' screw maneuver is practiced in obstetrics when dealing with shoulder dystocia—a condition in which the fetal shoulders cannot easily pass through the vagina...
  
  
• Zavanelli maneuver
  Zavanelli maneuver
  Zavanelli maneuver is an obstetric maneuver that involves pushing back the delivered fetal head into the birth canal in anticipation of performing a cesarean section in case of shoulder dystocia....
  
  
• Shoulder dystocia
  Shoulder dystocia
  Shoulder dystocia is a specific case of dystocia whereby after the delivery of the head, the anterior shoulder of the infant cannot pass below the pubic symphysis, or requires significant manipulation to pass below the pubic symphysis. It is diagnosed when the shoulders fail to deliver shortly...
  
  
• Treatment of shoulder dystocia
• The mechanics of birth