Which term describes the shaping of the infant skull during birth?

• A. Molding
• B. Caput Succedaneum
• C. Fontanelle
• D. Vernix

Answer: (A)

Shaping of the infant skull during birth is called molding. During vaginal delivery, the cranial bones are compressed and can slide over one another at the sutures, allowing the head to become smaller in its widest dimension so it can pass through the birth canal. The flexible sutures and fontanelles permit this adjustment, and the head may look cone-shaped or elongated temporarily. Once birth is complete and pressure is relieved, the bones shift back toward their normal position, and the head shape typically returns to normal within a few days to weeks.

Caput succedaneum is simple scalp swelling from pressure during labor, not a change in bone shape. A Fontanelle is a soft spot where skull bones haven’t yet fused, a structural feature rather than the shaping process. Vernix is the waxy protective coating on the newborn’s skin, unrelated to skull molding.