Forceps are instruments used for grasping during various medical procedures. A forceps has hinged handles that are used to control two blades or tongs.

Obstetrical forceps look similar to a long pair of tongs that look like spoons. These forceps are used in some deliveries to grasp and guide a baby’s head out of the birth canal (vagina). Surgical forceps, which look more like tweezers, come in varying lengths and are used to grasp and hold skin and other tissues during surgery. Forceps are also used to handle sterile dressings.