HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients
Book a video visit
HealthTap
Telehealth
A member asked:

Why do they have women lying flat on their backs in the lithotomy position for labor/delivery?

A doctor has provided 1 answer
Dr. Creighton Wright answered

Specializes in surgery

Several: Lying on abdomen is unpleasant. Sides are ok for the patient but hard to see for delivery care giver! Similar for sitting position, although many babies have probably come out that way historically!

Dr Ihle agreed

Answered 7/28/2014

3.8k views

Thank

Related Questions

A member asked:

8 wks post uterus ablation. Ongoing burning in both inner thighs and inability to sit due to burning and numbness in thighs and pelvic since. Suspect nerve entrap from lithotomy. No finds in CT/MRI & U-S. EMG book for April. Thoughts, what it can be?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

How many nerves in a woman's body are involved/stimulated during labor and delivery?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

How long does back pain associated with labor and delivery last?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

Hello. Could I suffer from a hernia for years and due to labor and delivery of my child , its now more noticable in my RUQ ? I have endo and multiple scans with thankfully normal results but pain is back and I now feel a lump ?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

I have sciatica and I'm 37weeks pregnant, lately my lower back pain I went to labor and delivery Saturday and was told I'm 2cm and 80% effected?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Sponsored Content
HealthTap Medical Group does not endorse products or services. Sponsored content revenues support our mission to make health information free and accessible to all.Learn more

People also searched for:

Why is the lithotomy position used during labor/delivery?
Can the lithotomy position be used for a colonoscopy?
What alterations for the lithotomy position would you consider for a client with copd?
No diagnosis yet but an obturator or femoral nerve entrapment is suspected to have occurred when placed in the lithotomy position during a quick 10min surgery. What is the approximate recovery time and best treatment approach for both of these?
Can a tear in left groin or medial or inner thigh from being put in a lithotomy position cause nerve symptoms such as Burning & numbness in pelvic and inner thighs especially when sitting in a normal position? Also Weakness in hip flexor. Tightness?

Telemedicine

Primary Care
Manage Your Conditions
Women's Health
Children's Health
Men's Health
Senior Health
Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle
Sexual Health
Mental & Behavioral Health
Travel Medicine
Urgent Care
Ask your question
Didn't find what you're looking for?

90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.

Ask your question

More of what we treat

Allergies
Antibiotics
Asthma
High Blood Pressure
Prescriptions
Type 2 Diabetes
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.
HealthTap
HIPAA logo
HIPAASecure
Soc 2 Type 2 logo
SOC 2 Type 2Certified
JCAHO Accredited
JCAHOAccredited
Member App

Download HealthTap

Video visit and message your doctor

Member App QR Code
Play Store Member LinkApp Store Member Link

Questions?

+1 (888) 828-0841support@healthtap.com
LinkedInTwitter
HomeTermsPrivacyCookiesDMCAHealth TopicsDoctors DirectoryDoctor Q&A by Specialty
Copyright 2026 HealthTap, Inc.