Skilled attendance at birth is one of the most important components of a strong maternal and neonatal health strategy. The relationship between the presence of a skilled birth attendant (SBA) and maternal/child health is well established, but in some countries only 40% of births are managed by an SBA.i Furthermore, the skills and knowledge of SBAs in some of the leastdeveloped countries may not be advanced enough to safeguard the health of mother and newborn.ii Such deficiencies in the quality of training can result in maternal and neonatal mortality in the instance of serious complications such as postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), breech birth, and shoulder dystocia. An important training method for addressing such competencies is through the use of birthing and cesarean section simulators.
Birthing simulators come in a variety of styles and prices. While the lowest cost options do not generally offer the opportunity to practice PPH management, they do offer the ability to practice difficult delivery situations such as shoulder dystocia. The use of a patient-actress simulation has been shown to provide a high-fidelity component to low-fidelity birthing simulation, so that even a very low-cost simulator can provide a quality of experience that is comparable to the high-cost simulator training experience.iii The use of patient-actress simulations may also help trainees improve communication skills with patients, families, medical team members, or others helping with the birth. Cesarean section simulators are less widely available due to the complicated and expensive nature of surgical simulation. Available cesarean section simulators range from pre-incised flaps to vascularized models that offer simulated tissue upon which surgical skills can be practiced.
Birthing and cesarean section simulators can range from US$150 to US$50,000. This guide contains a selection of commercialized birthing and cesarean section simulators that are available on the market today. The simulators in this guide are arranged by price.