Which factor does NOT increase the risk of shoulder dystocia?

Shoulder dystocia is a complication during childbirth that occurs when the baby's shoulder gets stuck behind the mother's pelvic bone. Several risk factors have been identified that increase the likelihood of this condition occurring.

Maternal obesity, type 2 diabetes, and large fetal size are all associated with increased risk for shoulder dystocia. Maternal obesity can contribute to excessive fetal growth, leading to macrosomia, which is a significant risk factor for shoulder dystocia. Similarly, maternal type 2 diabetes can result in larger babies due to increased insulin levels, which promote fetal growth. Likewise, a large fetal size inherently presents challenges during delivery, especially when the shoulders are wider than the pelvic inlet.

In contrast, the sex of the fetus alone, specifically female fetal sex, does not increase the risk of shoulder dystocia. While male infants may have slightly higher rates of macrosomia, leading to more shoulder dystocia cases statistically, female infants themselves do not have an inherent risk associated merely with being female. Therefore, female fetal sex is recognized as a factor that does NOT increase the risk of shoulder dystocia. This understanding helps distinguish the significance of various risk factors affecting delivery outcomes.