Instruments Used in Birth: What They Do, When They’re Used, and Why Understanding Them Matters

Instrumental birth is one of the most poorly understood aspects of modern maternity care. For many parents, forceps or ventouse are only introduced at the point they are recommended — often during an intense, time-pressured moment.

Yet these tools have clear clinical indications, specific mechanical functions, and predictable implications for birth experience and recovery. Understanding them antenatally allows parents to engage with decisions from a place of knowledge rather than fear.