asynclitism

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asynclitism (ă-sin-klit-izm) n. tilting of the fetal skull towards one or other shoulder causing the top of the skull to be either nearer to the sacrum (anterior a. or Naegele's obliquity) or nearer to the pubis (posterior a. or Litzmann's obliquity). These mechanisms enable the fetal head to pass more easily through the maternal pelvis.