Breech baby means that your baby is ‘bottom down’ or feet first in the womb instead of the usual ‘head down’ position. A breech birth may be a more complicated birth as the head is the largest part of a baby and is the last part to be delivered in a breech birth.
In early pregnancy, breech positions are very common. A baby usually turns so that between 37 and 42 weeks (term), most babies are ‘head down’ ready to be born. However 3 in every 100 babies (3%) are still breech at the end of pregnancy.
What will happen if my baby remains breech?
If you are 37 weeks pregnant and your baby is breech you have 3 choices that you should discuss with your doctor or midwife:
- External Cephalic Version (ECV) - trying to turn your baby into a head down position
- Delivery by caesarean section - an operation where a cut is made in your abdomen and baby is delivered through that cut
- Vaginal breech birth - baby is delivered bottom first
What is ECV?
External cephalic version is a technique where pressure is applied to your abdomen to help the baby turn a somersault in the womb to lie head down. This increases the likelihood of having a vaginal birth. Although you may find ECV uncomfortable, it should not be painful.
About video: The film is based on the research by Dr Rebecca Say who at the time was an academic speciality training registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology. The film was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Doctoral Research Fellowship.
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