Which condition is described as diffuse scalp edema that crosses suture lines and is typically seen immediately after birth?

• A. Caput succedaneum
• B. Cephalohematoma
• C. Molding
• D. Subgaleal hemorrhage

Answer: (A)

Caput succedaneum describes diffuse edema of the scalp that appears at birth and readily crosses the suture lines because it is a superficial fluid collection in the soft tissues over the skull. This occurs from the stresses of labor (often with prolonged labor or vacuum-assisted delivery) and resolves within the first day or two without treatment. It’s distinct from cephalohematoma, which is a deeper bleed beneath the periosteum that is confined by sutures and does not cross them, and from subgaleal hemorrhage, which involves bleeding in the potential space under the galea and can be a dangerous, widespread swelling requiring urgent evaluation. Molding is the overlapping of skull bones during birth, not edema.