Excludes1 pair
O62.4 vs O66.9
O62.4 and O66.9 are not coded together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note — the two conditions are not expected to occur together, so exactly one of them is normally correct for a given encounter. The Official Guidelines carve out one exception: if the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, both may be reported.
The official note, declared on O62.4
dystocia (fetal) (maternal) NOS (O66.9)
O62.4
Hypertonic, incoordinate, and prolonged uterine contractions
Billable
- Chapter 15
- Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
- Section
- O60-O77
Use when the record says
- Cervical spasm
- Contraction ring dystocia
- Dyscoordinate labor
- Hour-glass contraction of uterus
- Hypertonic uterine dysfunction
- Incoordinate uterine action
- Tetanic contractions
- Uterine dystocia NOS
Indexed under
- Bandl's ring, complicating delivery (contraction)
- Constriction › ring dystocia (uterus)
- Contraction, contracture, contracted › ring (Bandl's) (complicating delivery)
- Dystocia › contraction ring
- Dystocia › uterine NEC
O66.9
Obstructed labor, unspecified
BillableUnspecified
- Chapter 15
- Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
- Section
- O60-O77
Use when the record says
- Dystocia NOS
- Fetal dystocia NOS
- Maternal dystocia NOS
Indexed under
- Dystocia
- Dystocia › fetal
- Dystocia › maternal
- Delay, delayed › any plane in pelvis › complicating delivery
- Delivery › complicated › by › obstructed labor › due to › dystocia (fetal)
Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027