Vaginal-operative Birth: Guideline of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG (S2k-Level, AWMF Registry Number 015/023, 11/2023)

Purpose This is an official guideline issued by the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG), the Austrian Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (ÖGGG) and the Swiss Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (SGGG). The guideline aims to provide guidance and support for indication-based decisions in the context of vaginal-operative deliveries and the performance of these procedures. The intention is not to provide rigid standards for vaginal-operative deliveries but to show the range within which obstetric activities correspond to the current state of scientific knowledge and current clinical practice. Methods This S2k-guideline was developed based on the structured consensus of representative members from different medical professions who were commissioned by the guidelines program of the DGGG, OEGGG and SGGG. Recommendations The guideline provides recommendations on measures to avoid vaginal-operative births, the conditions in which these births should be carried out, the information provided to patients, the indications, contraindications, classifications, and choice of instruments, the procedure, antibiotic prophylaxis, complications, postnatal examinations, documentation and legal aspects, debriefing, and training and simulations.