In obstetrics

Obstetrics

Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...

, the term flexion point refers to a spot on the fetal head on which the cup of a ventouse

Ventouse

Ventouse is a vacuum device used to assist the delivery of a baby when the second stage of labour has not progressed adequately. It is an alternative to a forceps delivery and caesarean section. It cannot be used when the baby is in the breech position or for premature births. This technique is...

 should to be placed for extraction of the child to be most effective.

When the cup of the ventouse is applied on the flexion point, the fetal head will remain flexed under traction, hence the name "flexion point".

Location

The flexion point is located on the sagittal suture

Sagittal suture

The sagittal suture is a dense, fibrous connective tissue joint between the two parietal bones of the skull. The term is derived from the Latin word Sagitta, meaning "arrow". The derivation of this term may be demonstrated by observing how the sagittal suture is notched posteriorly, like an arrow,...

, 3 cm (about 1 inch) forward of the posterior fontanelle

Posterior fontanelle

The posterior fontanelle is a gap between bones in the human skull, triangular in form and situated at the junction of the sagittal suture and lambdoidal suture. It generally closes in 6-8 weeks from birth. A delay in closure is associated with congential hypothyroidism....

.

Finding the flexion point

• Use the middle finger to identify the posterior fontanelle
  Posterior fontanelle
  The posterior fontanelle is a gap between bones in the human skull, triangular in form and situated at the junction of the sagittal suture and lambdoidal suture. It generally closes in 6-8 weeks from birth. A delay in closure is associated with congential hypothyroidism....
  
  , then move the finger forward along the sagittal suture
  Sagittal suture
  The sagittal suture is a dense, fibrous connective tissue joint between the two parietal bones of the skull. The term is derived from the Latin word Sagitta, meaning "arrow". The derivation of this term may be demonstrated by observing how the sagittal suture is notched posteriorly, like an arrow,...
  
   approximately 3 cm / 1 inch.
• With the finger on the flexion point and palmar surface in a superior direction, note where the back of the finger makes contact with the fourchette (this is used to determine how far the ventouse
  Ventouse
  Ventouse is a vacuum device used to assist the delivery of a baby when the second stage of labour has not progressed adequately. It is an alternative to a forceps delivery and caesarean section. It cannot be used when the baby is in the breech position or for premature births. This technique is...
  
  cup must be inserted).