A laboring patient is at -1 station. This indicates the fetus is:

A laboring patient is at -1 station. This indicates the fetus is:

• A. 1 cm above the ischial spines
• B. 2 cm below the ischial spines
• C. On the ischial spines
• D. 1 cm below the ischial spines

Answer: (A)

Understanding how station numbers describe fetal descent relative to the ischial spines helps interpret this finding. A negative station means the presenting part is above the spines, with more negative values higher up in the pelvis. Therefore, −1 station indicates the head is one centimeter above the ischial spines. So the statement that matches this is that the fetus is 1 cm above the ischial spines. If it were exactly at the spines, that would be station zero; if it were below the spines, it would be a positive station (below), such as 1 cm below for +1, or 2 cm below for +2. Clinically, descent is tracked from negative values toward zero and into positive values as labor progresses.

Understanding how station numbers describe fetal descent relative to the ischial spines helps interpret this finding. A negative station means the presenting part is above the spines, with more negative values higher up in the pelvis. Therefore, −1 station indicates the head is one centimeter above the ischial spines.

So the statement that matches this is that the fetus is 1 cm above the ischial spines. If it were exactly at the spines, that would be station zero; if it were below the spines, it would be a positive station (below), such as 1 cm below for +1, or 2 cm below for +2. Clinically, descent is tracked from negative values toward zero and into positive values as labor progresses.