Sandborg-Vedeler's forceps - an innovation in the golden age of obstetric forceps

Obstetric forceps came into common use in the 18th century and for a long time were the only instrument capable of saving both mother and child when labour failed to progress. Countless variations were developed to improve their function, including the Norwegian Sandborg-Vedeler forceps. What problem were they designed to solve, and why are they kept at the Science Museum in London?

We searched for information about the Sandborg-Vedeler forceps in digital archives and literature reviews, reviewed the proceedings of Det norske medicinske Selskab (The Norwegian Medical Society) for the period 1872-1907, and communicated with international experts.

The Norwegian doctors Christian Sandborg and Berendt Vedeler presented their new forceps in 1874. They were designed to achieve a biparietal grip on the foetal head when it was unengaged in a transverse or oblique position. The instrument attracted limited interest and was seldom used. Alongside the world-famous Kielland forceps, the Sandborg-Vedeler forceps are the only Norwegian-designed forceps to have left a notable mark on history. Sandborg and Vedeler developed several variations of the instrument, and in 1929, Professor Kristian Brandt of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Rikshospitalet donated six pairs to the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum in London. He believed the inventors demonstrated a deep understanding of the mechanism of childbirth and exceptional mechanical skill.