Chap 15: Numerical simulation of vaginal delivery
Résumé
This chapter presents two different approaches to design a numerical simulation of childbirth. The first approach is to succeed in obtaining a simulation in real time, while being realistic. The second approach is to get the most accurate simulation possible without worrying about the computation time. These two approaches both provide important insights into the complex phenomenon of vaginal delivery. The first one is intended to be inserted in a medical simulator for learning obstetrical gestures in the context of forceps extraction. It allows young obstetricians to appropriate this gesture, which is necessary in certain situations and allows us to avoid resorting to a cesarean delivery (a surgical act that is not harmless for the woman in labor). Whereas, the second approach provides a better understanding of the clinical risks of a vaginal delivery. It is then a question of clinical prevention of the risks of tearing, episiotomy or fetal suffering. These two complementary approaches provide new knowledge on the course of a vaginal birth and its implications.