Rezumat: Operative vaginal delivery (OVD) defines the situation where the obstetrician uses forceps or vacuum extraction to help deliver the baby vaginally. In the past, vaginal delivery occupied a significantly higher rate than now and the incidence of OVD was much higher. Recently, due to the exponential increase in the incidence of caesarean sections and the consecutive decrease in the number of vaginal births, we witness a significant reduction of cases of forceps or vacuum applications, leading either to extinction of OVD from therapeutic arsenal of medicalinstitutions or contributing to a significantly longer learning curve of the maneuver by residents and obstetricians as well as the lack of accurate information delivered to patients about the procedure. Operative vaginal delivery’s actual incidence in the US is about 3.5% of all births, the overall incidence is declining. Among OVD, vacuum applications are used by approx. 4 times more frequently than the application of forceps. AtFilantropia Clinical Hospital Bucharest,between October 2012 - March 2015 there were 246 OVDsof which 202 forceps applications and 44vacuum applications. The instruments used were forceps - Lazarevici, Tarnier, Suzor or Naegele and vacuum Kiwi OmniCupwith rigid suction cup. Neonatal outcomes were evaluated by the Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes and the pH of fetal blood where it was imposed. In the group investigated there were not any significant fetal and maternal complications reported. In conclusion, OVD should be part of modern obstetrical activity. The curriculum for training in obstetrics must include training for OVD. The use of forceps or vacuum application is a necessary and viable solution in case of maternal or fetal complications in expulsion and constitutes an act of professional maturity. Using correctly, strictly respecting indications and application conditions will lead to favorable completion of birth vaginally. The situation of an unfavorable cervix at the onset of labor is not an indication of cesarean. Ignorance or fear of using obstetrical instruments contribute to the increased rate of primary caesarean section with all the arsenal of comorbidities going along with it. Cuvinte cheie: delivery, obstetrical instruments, way of delivery, modern obstetrics.